Animal Mystique
by StakeTheHeart
Summary: Hope gets home from his last day of school and finds an injured cat. He's always wanted a cat so he makes plans to keep it. Little does he know what events would follow his simple decision.
1. Chapter 1

**While working on my other FFXIII story I happened to see a picture that was so adorable it inspired me to write this. Thanks to Rueme on Deviantart for letting me use the very pic that helped me write this. Hopefully it came out the way I wanted it to. I think it did but I would love to see what you all think so enough of my chit chat. Enjoy!**

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Hope walked down the street on his way home from school. It was his last year and he was looking forward to getting out and starting his life on his own. He turned a corner and continued down the street until he stood outside his home. It was grand, but only because his father worked in the Sanctum. Sure, he wasn't really high up, but being in the lowest section still made them quiet wealthy. He sighed and entered, expecting the house to be empty as always. Another side effect of his father working where he does, he has long hours in the office or in meetings. He climbed the stairs and opened the door to his room, throwing his bag aside and plopping in the chair at his desk. He glanced at his laptop but didn't open it. He had a paper to write but he was reluctant to start. A noise outside caught his attention and he stood to look out the window.

Just as he pushed the curtains aside, he saw a cat dart out of the bushes across the street. The cat risked a run across the street and jumped into a bush outside his house. Hope sat back down, contemplating if he should help the cat or not. As it ran, he could tell its foreleg was injured. He looked at his laptop again and then stood. He left his room, went down the stairs, and out the door. He slowly walked over to the side of his house and carefully crouched down near the bush he saw the cat hide in. He reached out a hand and grasped some leaves. He pushed them aside to come face to face with intelligent ice blue eyes staring straight back at him. He froze momentarily, feeling as if the cat knew what he was trying to do. It moved slightly forward and then paused.

"Come here kitty. I won't hurt you. Come here," he called to the cat. Its ears swiveled in his direction and then returned to its previous direction. The cat lithely jumped from the bush and made its way over to Hope mostly on its belly. Its sharp gaze was constantly looking out for danger. Hope remained still when the cat finally stopped by him. He put out a hand and let it sniff it. The look in its eyes was still untrustworthy but it did not run. Hope hesitantly flipped his hand over and moved to pet its head. The ears went down to lie flat on its head but he continued. Once his hand met soft fur, the cat relaxed. He rubbed down the back of its head and across the back. He started back at the head and repeated.

As he petted the cat he noticed that its fur must be some color he had not seen before on an animal but he couldn't tell. The dirt in the fur obscured any color. He looked down and took note of the way it held its paw off the floor. He could see slight red under on the leathery pads. Despite its now ragged appearance, Hope knew it would be a beautiful cat once he nursed it back to health. He stopped petting the cat and moved to scoop it into his arms. It resisted somewhat but after making sure it wouldn't scratch him, he picked it off the ground and held it close to his body. Its tail flicked back in forth in what Hope thought looked like irritation but he wrote it off. Careful not to hurt the paw, he tucked the cat in his arms and set off for his house. He entered and shut the door with his foot.

"You know, I don't know if dad will let me keep you but I hope he does. I've always wanted a cat. I guess I'll do the best I can for you and then let you go. No one I know likes cats," he began to explain. He didn't feel weird for talking to the cat. It was better than silence or talking to himself. It was a companion he looked forward to having and he saw it in this cat. The minute he began to talk, the cat looked up at him with a searching gaze. The ears swiveled again and he felt the tail swish once or twice.

"Let's get you cleaned up ok?" he told the cat. Its eyes seemed to tell him that it agreed. He climbed the steps and turned left. Across from his father's study was the bathroom and further down the hall was his father's room. He pushed the bathroom door open with his back and then turned to the bathtub. He glanced down at the cat who was still not struggling. He hooked the door with his foot and pushed it closed then set the cat on the checkered tile. It stayed where he put it, only curling its tail around its feet.

"It's not that I don't trust you but I've never really washed an animal before, especially a cat. I didn't know if you would run and I don't look forward to getting scratched but this has to get done either way," he said as he pushed aside the curtain and began testing the water. He figured it would be best somewhere between warm and cold so that it wasn't too hot but not too cold. When the water was running, he turned back to get the cat but it was gone. He was confused slightly until he spotted it perched on the toilet top. It cocked its head at him before swiftly hopping across to the rim of the bath and then into the tub. He was surprised at its behavior but was glad it liked water. In fact, it ran straight for the faucet and ran under the water, passing through a couple times and then returning to Hope. It glanced at the selection of soaps before reaching out with its uninjured paw and lightly patting a bottle.

"You are pretty smart. I wonder if someone owned you and now you're lost. In that case I can't keep you. Maybe I'll keep you safe until I find your owner," he told the cat as he poured some soap in his hand. The cat watched him silently as he talked only swishing its tail when he mentioned an owner. By now, the cat was semi clean and Hope could see that oddly, its fur was a color he had not seen on an animal before. He shrugged and began washing the cat as softly as he could. It reacted to his touch easily so that he could reach every part of it. Its attitude seemed to reflect its necessity that it wanted to be clean so it allowed him to wash it. As Hope scrubbed the fur with his fingers and palm, he could feel the muscle in the cat's body. It wasn't a big cat but it had a lithe body built for agility and speed. By this point he deemed the cat a girl. When he came to the paw he was extra careful. She only flinched once when he touched the injury but otherwise did nothing. He could see that the sensitive pad on the paw had a cut that was now all cleaned out.

"You are one tame cat. I've seen cats that go crazy when they have to be washed or they cry really loud. You just seem to sit and let me wash you," he commented. She looked up at him before getting up and walking back to pass under the water a few times. When she returned to sit in front of Hope she was all clean and rinsed off. Hope now saw exactly what color the fur was. He couldn't help but think it reminded him of a strawberry smoothie. It was pink but the color was soft and he wondered how soft the fur would feel once he dried it seeing as the fur was already on the soft side when it was dirty. He reached to shut off the water.

"Ok, I'm going to get a towel. Stay there," he said. He stood and grabbed his towel off the rack, knowing his dad wouldn't want his towel to be used for such a thing. He returned to see the cat resting her forepaws on the edge of the tub as if waiting to be picked up. Hope briefly wondered how he would do this and came up with a method. He draped the towel over the toilet and then picked her up. He set her on the towel and then picked up the edges to dry her fur. That way the floor didn't get wet. He rubbed the towel fast but gently across the body so that the fur stuck up. He laughed and the cat shot him a glare.

"I'll fix it don't worry," he told her. Her ears went back slightly and she looked away. When he was done, he picked her back up and set her on the floor. He hung the towel over the shower pole and then opened the door. She glanced at him before walking out the door with a quick pace and then headed for the stairs. He followed her down and then into the kitchen where she circled the legs of the table.

"Are you hungry?" he asked her. She replied with a low but demanding meow. He chuckled.

"That's the first thing you've said since you got here. Did you know that?" he told her, digging in the cabinets for a can of chicken. He opened the can and put some in a small bowl.

"Here you go," he said as he set the bowl down. As soon as it touched the floor, she came darting out from under the table and attacked the chicken. In seconds it was gone and she sat looking at him and waiting for more. He debated giving her the whole thing. He shrugged and put the rest in the bowl, hoping she would finish it. She did, and once she was done she sat and began cleaning herself. He put the bowl in the sink and then checked the time. His dad should be on break now. He grabbed the house phone and dialed his number.

"Hello?" his dad answered on the second ring.

"Hey dad, just wanted to ask you something..." he replied.

"What is it Hope?" his dad responded.

"Um, well, I found an injured cat on the way home and wondered if we could keep her. You know I've always wanted a cat and…" he trailed off, uncertain where this would go. He heard a sigh on the other side of the line.

"Will you take full responsibility of her?" his dad questioned.

"Yes, of course. You won't have to do anything," he answered happily.

"Ok then, you can keep her, but she better not ruin our furniture and if you want her to remain an indoor cat you have to go get a litter box," he warned.

"I will. I'll go to the store now and get supplies," he said earnestly.

"Ok then, see you at seven. Bye," his dad said.

"See you," Hope replied. He hung up and put the phone down.

"Yes, I get to keep you! You will have to stay in my room when I leave just in case. Wouldn't want you getting into anything," he said as he bent to pick her up. He took her to the room and set her on his bed where she padded to his pillow and flopped lazily on the pillow. He raised an eyebrow.

"Ok then, you get comfortable and I'll be right back," he said, grabbing some money from his savings drawer and shutting the door when he left. He locked the house and then ran down the street to the nearest store. Luckily, he met Lebreau while he was shopping. She was his babysitter back when he was younger but now she was a family friend. She offered him a ride home which he gladly accepted seeing as he could not carry all that he bought on his own. She helped him carry everything inside and then comically wiped sweat off her brow.

"Wow, cat litter is heavy. Hey, why do you need all this stuff anyway? I can't imagine Bartholomew letting you have a cat," she said.

"Well, he did. I found her on the way home. She was injured but now she's all cleaned up and it's not bugging her anymore. Want to see her?" he asked. She eyed the excited boy and then nodded. He grabbed her hand then towed her up to his room. He pushed open the door to see the pink cat curled under his covers in a way that was strangely human.

"Awww, how cute, is she trained or something? I never saw a cat do that," she said as she sat on his bed to get a closer look.

"Yeah, she does really cool things like that sometimes. She's so smart and pretty. Look at the color of her fur," he replied.

"Wow, its pink but like, how should I say it, strawberry pink," she tried to explain. He laughed.

"Yeah the color reminded me of a strawberry smoothie," he confessed. She giggled and reached out to softly pet the cat's head. The cat stretched but otherwise remained asleep.

"Well, I'm glad you finally have a cat Hope. What are you going to name her?" she asked. He thought about it for a moment before replying.

"I think I'll name her Éclair. Her color reminds me of sweets and things," he said.

"I think that's a good name. Well I have to get going. Say hi to your dad for me," she said, ruffling his hair as she left. He smoothed it down and nodded.

"See ya," he replied. He smiled at Éclair and then sat in front of his laptop again. Cat or no cat he had to get his work done now. He opened his laptop and was surprised to see it was already on. He remembered turning it off the last time he used it. To top it off, it was on a page about the Sanctum. It explained about the Fal'Cie and the L'Cie that where created from them. Hope always found that interesting but had not done a search on it for some time now. He shrugged, writing it off to forgetfulness, and closed the page. Then he began typing up his finals paper. Halfway through his work Éclair jumped up on his desk and stepped across the keyboard.

"Hey, what are you doing?" he asked. She gave him a hard stare and then hopped off the desk. He watched as she walked over to his door and then waited for him to follow. He got up and followed her down the stairs and stood at the front door. She scratched it, paced back and forth, and then looked up at him.

"Oh, hold on," he said, understanding what she wanted. He went into the kitchen where he set all the cat products around the table. He hefted the cat litter and cat box into the small room that connected to the living room. They always kept the door leading outside locked so he was sure she couldn't get out. He dumped a good amount of litter in the box and then went back for the scooper so he could smooth it out. He set the scooper aside and then backed up to view his handy work. He pushed the litter into a corner and set the scooper next to it then moved the litter box against the locked door so it was out of view of the living room. His dad wouldn't want it showing to any guests. He turned to call for Éclair but she was already walking into the small room. She eyed the box distastefully and waved her tail in slight irritation.

"What? You can't go back outside now. I don't want you to get hurt," he told her. She gave him what he believed to be her signature glare before walking over to the litter box. She stepped in and then looked back at him.

"Ok, I get the hint," he said, leaving her to her business. She came out not too long later after a good amount of litter shifting. He was just putting away the food when she sauntered into the kitchen. He continued to put all the supplies where they needed to go in the house and then returned to his work. Éclair silently followed everywhere he went and watched him calculatingly with her ice blue eyes. After his paper was all typed out and printed, he put it in his bag, removed his shoes, and lied out on the bed. Éclair jumped up and curled up away from him and against the wall.

"Are you mad at me for making you use the litter box, because I'm sorry if that's it. After all, you are a cat and its way better than letting you lose outside again," he told her. Really, he was just afraid she would run away. He was already accustomed to her being around. She ignored him and lied down. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. Soon, sleep took over him. He awoke to the door closing an hour later. He sat up quickly and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He looked for Éclair but she was gone.

"Dammit," he muttered. He pushed off the bed and went down to greet his dad.

"Hey you," his dad said as he entered the living room. He was currently taking off his shoes and removing his suit.

"Hey dad how was work?" he asked.

"The usual, except the higher ups are panicking over something that happened with the Fal'Cie. I don't know what exactly but we both know some experiment escaped right?" his dad joked.

"Probably," Hope replied.

"So, where is the cat you found? I want to see her," he asked his son.

"She's around here somewhere. I dozed off and I guess she's exploring," he replied.

"Cats do love to explore. It's best that she does so she feels right at home. What did you decide to call her?" he questioned.

"Éclair," he replied with slight embarrassment. His dad raised an eyebrow and then smiled.

"You know, that was your favorite dessert when you were little," he said.

"It was?" Hope said.

"Yep, Nora always gave them to you and I warned her not to spoil you," he said with a halfhearted laugh. The thought of Hope's mom hurt them both to this day. At that moment, Éclair finally showed herself and jumped up on the top of the couch.


	2. Chapter 2

When Hope's dad saw Éclair, he was shocked at the color of her fur but quickly recovered.

"She's pink," he stated. Hope nodded.

"You always had the éclair with pink icing," he replied. Bartholomew walked over and pet Éclair on the back. She watched him and then slid out from under his hand and jumped off the couch.

"She has quite an attitude doesn't she?" he said with a smile.

"Yeah, not too long ago she gave me the stink eye for having to use a litter box," Hope commented. His dad laughed.

"I'm going to put my coat and case away then I'll start dinner," he told Hope.

"Ok, come on Éclair. I have toys for you to play with," he said to the cat. She glanced at Bartholomew once more and then followed Hope to his room. He showed her the catnip filled mouse which she pawed once and then did nothing. Then he dangled the fishing rod like toy in front of her. At the end of the string were a cluster of multicolored feathers. She watched them carefully and then swiftly launched at them unexpectedly. She neatly clamped them between her teeth and tore them off the string. She spit them out and then jumped up next to Hope.

"Well, I guess you're the fighting type right?" he questioned, dropping the now useless toy. She seemed to nod a yes to his statement. He did a double take but shook his head.

"Here I got this for you too," he said, picking up the black collar on his desk. It had a small silver bell on it. He unclasped the clip and then put it around her neck. He clipped it closed and then adjusted it to better fit her.

"There, whenever I get a chance I'll get you a license with your name and my information on it. I don't know if you have an owner but if I do find them I'll give you back," he said a little sadly. She tilted her head and her ear flicked. Then she sat up straight. She darted for the desk and then shimmied behind the curtains to look out the window.

"What's wrong?" he asked, joining her at the window. He followed her gaze to a car driving down the street with black tinted windows.

"Is that a Sanctum car?" Hope wondered. Éclair backed away with her ears down and then jumped from the window.

"Hey Hope dinner's done," his dad said as he came into the room. Hope turned around and dropped the curtain.

"Ok, I'll be right down," he replied. His dad glanced at Éclair who sat by Hope's feet with her tail curled around her feet.

"You might want to give her something too," he said. Hope nodded. Bartholomew left and Hope looked down at Éclair. He wondered if the cat really was as smart as he thought she was.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. She gave the same demanding response as before and he smiled.

"Ok then, let's go eat," he replied. She jumped up on his desk and then leaped onto his shoulder, balancing perfectly. He felt her tail brush his back occasionally. He was shocked but took it in stride. He left his room and went down to the kitchen to eat dinner. He set out some cat food for Éclair who jumped from his shoulder, looked at the food, and then turned her nose up at it. He shrugged and sat down to eat. His father told him that he had to go on a business trip and he would be back in three days. Hope was a little put out but once his dad mentioned that Éclair would keep him company, he felt better. He would leave tomorrow, then be gone through the weekend, and come back Monday. They finished their dinner but Éclair barely touched hers. Bartholomew retired to his study after saying goodnight. Hope returned it and retreated to his room. Éclair followed close behind. Hope got into his pajama pants and then got into bed. Éclair stayed standing by the door; her blue eyes seemed to glow in the darkness.

"You can sleep up here if you want but if you find some other place that's fine. Good night Éclair. I'm glad I found you," he muttered, his speech shifting into a yawn. He rolled on his side so that he faced towards the wall. After a few minutes, Éclair jumped up on the bed and found a spot behind Hope's bent knees. She curled up pressed against him. By early morning Hope had gotten ready for his last day of school before summer and made sure Éclair had food and water in the kitchen. She watched him get ready while she perched on his desk. Her tail swung and curled once in a while when he talked to her. He remembered when he woke up, he was on his back and Éclair was sitting on his chest. He opened his eyes to intense blue ones. She leaped off as soon as he moved and then went back to watching him.

"I'll be back okay? Then we can sit and watch movies all week and eat to our heart's desires," he said with a laugh. She tilted her head and gave him a disgruntled expression. He kneeled down next to her and laid his hand on her silky soft head. He rubbed down her back and then scratched under her ear and on her neck. She leaned in and then continued forward. If he didn't stop when he did she would have fallen over. For the first time he heard her purr. When she realized she almost fell she fixed him with a grumpy glare. He just smiled and waved as he left with his dad. They had a longer good bye since his dad would next be seeing him Monday. School seemed to take forever. His friend Maqui and Yuj both called him a girl for fawning over his new cat the way he did. Hope ignored them. He knew he loved animals and was just happy for finally owning one. Their conversation then moved to activities to do over summer before they had to look into college and jobs. After school he walked home as usual. He entered his house and called out to Éclair.

"Where is she? Probably asleep I guess. Cats love to sleep," he said to himself as he put down his bag and searched for Éclair. He entered the kitchen and bent down to check under the table when he heard a bell on top of the table. He smiled and stood up quickly.

"There you are Éclair…" he began but his words died in his throat. He froze, leaning on the table to keep himself standing, because a woman was sitting on his table with a stare that made him feel like he was a mouse caught by a cat.

"I don't love to sleep but I find it does help regain my strength," she told him in a strong but smoothly cool voice. It reminded him of the demanding tone Éclair used. It was then that realization struck and his eyes began to take in the woman before him. Her eyes were an icy blue, her hair was pink, and most importantly she wore Éclair's collar except now it looked like a black ribbon that form fitted to her neck like a choker with the bell dangling from the middle. The only thing she had on was a bathrobe.

"You're-you're-" he tried to squeak out.

"The cat? Yes, I'm the cat you so aptly named Éclair, but my real name is Lightning. Now tell me Hope Estheim where did your father run off to?" she questioned, as she lightly slid off the table and onto her feet.

"He went on a business run. Wait, how do you know my name and why out of all the things you can say you ask about my father? What do you want with him?" he asked in a wavering voice.

"The Sanctum might want him dead. He's a threat to their plans," she replied calmly, walking around the kitchen and examining random objects. She had a stern expression but curiosity lingered in her eyes.

"Why?" Hope said. She stooped mid step and tilted her head in that cat like way that reminded him of Éclair. He stopped to remind himself that this **was **Éclair.

"They're already on watch. Come on," she said, swiftly walking past him and up the stairs. He followed her up and into his room.

"Strangely they can't monitor this room. I think your father may have set up some kind of device to keep you safe from them. Whatever he's doing, it can't be safe," she told him. She peeked out the curtains and watched the suspicious car drive away.

"Wait, wait, wait! Slow down! Tell me everything from the beginning, starting with you. How the hell are you a cat?" he questioned. She fixed him with her signature glare that still looked the same when she was human as when she was a cat. She sighed and then held the bridge of her nose.

"Ok then, get me better clothes to wear and I'll tell you all I know," she told him. He nodded and headed for the door. He entered his father's room and went straight for the back of the closet were his mom's clothes still hung.

"Oh, and it better not be a dress!" she yelled down the hall. He rolled his eyes and began his search. By the time he found a simple black shirt and black mid-thigh shorts did he realize that he was alone with a girl.

"Why do I have to think of that now? She's my cat for crying out loud," he muttered. He left the room and went back to his own.

"Here, hope they fit," he said, handing them to her. She inspected the clothes and then left for the bathroom.

"It's-" he began but she cut him off.

"I know where it is. You would think I'd remember taking a bath in there," she snapped. He blushed but remained quiet until she returned.

"Well, I guess these will work but they don't fit in exactly the right places," she growled in agitation. He could see that the shirt was a little too short and the shorts ended a little higher because of her height.

"My mom was a small woman," he replied, trying to keep the blush from his face. She raised an eyebrow and then reclined on his bed comfortably. He may see her as a stranger but she already felt at home.

"Ok, I'll start at the beginning. You might want to sit, it's going to be a long story," she told him. He took a seat at his desk and waited for her to start.

"It started when I began working in the Guardian Corps. I was there for maybe five years because I started young to get money to support my sister and I." she began.

"You had a sister?" he asked. She nodded and continued.

"Soon PSICOM was beginning to get more recruits and were taking more control so the Sanctum decided to cut the Guardian Corps. They offered any soldiers interested in a position in PSICOM while others were secretly hand-picked to have a chance in a project they were starting. I was one of the few who were asked. Of course I agreed. I needed the money, but when I found out what the job entitled I couldn't do it. They were sending out trained soldiers to kill innocent people who defied the Sanctum. These elite left no trace and almost always left clues that framed someone else, usually someone that defied them as well. When I stepped down they let me without a fight but came crashing down my door two days later. They took my sister and dragged me back. I haven't seen her ever since and I hope she's alive. As punishment, they made me undergo tests and experiments. It was for their new assassin unit. With the help of the Fal'Cie they would fuse people with animals, mostly domestic animals, for the use of spying and then assassinating when the time was right. When I was deemed a success, they caged me like the animal I had become. They would only let me out to be trained and even then they had me on a shock collar. I let them see me as an obedient and tamed pet. Then when I had their trust I escaped when their backs were turned," she said with a triumphant edge to her voice. Hope briefly thought about what his dad had said about an escaped experiment and wondered if he really knew what was going on or not. Then he remembered his laptop had been on a Sanctum information sight and knew Lightning had been trying to find out their plans.

"I had endured enough of the shocks that they couldn't stop me once I got going. I was lucky to run into two L'Cie named Fang and Vanille. They believed me to be a cat for a year. I rarely got a chance to leave that form because they too were hiding and didn't go out often. When I decided to finally show them, Fang admitted she knew for the last three months while Vanille was shocked. I remember asking Fang why she hadn't said anything and she replied that I looked cute as a cat," she said with a sad smile. Hope agreed with Fang but he thought Lightning herself was pretty.

"By the end of the day, PSICOM found all of us. Fang and Vanille distracted them while I escaped since I was top priority over rogue L'Cie. I ran nonstop for days, afraid that they would find me. I stole to get by until you found me. I was wary at first because I had spent so much time in my animal form and humans felt like a threat. I guess I still sometimes act like a cat because that's just what I am but for some reason all humans were a threat except for you. It's bitter irony that I end up in a home still monitored by the Sanctum, but this time, I'll keep you safe. I failed Fang and Vanille but I won't fail you. I'm sure they wouldn't want an innocent kid on the Sanctum extermination list. I'll be your cat for however long is needed to keep you safe. All I ask is food, clothes that fit, and for you to never tell a soul what's going on. It wouldn't help any of us if outsiders know," she explained.

"All this happened to you and you still haven't been able to fight back so the obvious step is how you will do that. If I do this for you, how will it help me?" he questioned. She smirked.

"Smart kid, well I was thinking you get protection from one of the best soldiers the Sanctum has to offer while you give me a hiding place and provide me with shelter. I plan on getting back at the Sanctum but I have to lay low for now," she responded, crossing her arms and waiting for a reply from him. For Hope, everything about his new pet made sense but everything about this new ally did not. He sighed and ultimately agreed to help.

"Ok, I'll help you, but I have just one more question," he said, a slight blush rising on his face. She drew her eyebrows together questioningly but nodded for him to go ahead.

"Should I let you bathe yourself when my dad's not around, feed you people food no matter what my dad says, and let you use the bathroom like a normal person when my dad isn't near?" he said hesitantly. She gave him a stare that bordered on agitation but then she turned away.

"I suppose so," she replied flatly.

"I guess I can see why you didn't want to use the litter box but if you were on the run, how did you…" he trailed off.

"I found ways into people's home when I was a cat. Most of the time they weren't home so I ate what I could, use what I could, and then left," she explained.

"Oh, I see, well then there is only one thing to do. I'll let you live here and tomorrow we can go shopping for some clothes. I bought a leash with a harness just in case. I can put it on and…maybe not," he said when he saw her glare.

"I'll tag along **without **something as degrading as a leash. We have to be quick though. I don't want to be noticed," she told him.

"But you're kind of hard not to notice," he muttered. Her enhanced hearing caught the words and she was not amused.

"Listen kid, I know what I'm doing. Keep that in mind and this will work out," she said, her lips pulled back ever so slightly to show a fang.

"Look, I'm eighteen ok? I understand what's going on. I'm only trying to help," he snapped back, wishing the haughty soldier was a cat again. She growled, then realized what happened, and turned away with a conflicted expression.


	3. Chapter 3

**I had recieved a request to fully explain what happened to Lightning before Hope found her so if anyone is interested, look for a new one shot that will explain that. Enjoy!**

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Hope waited for her to say something but she remained quiet, her arms crossed, looking away and frowning. An idea came to him that he knew would probably upset her but he forged ahead anyway.

"Besides, if I don't like the way you act I could just scratch that spot behind your ear," he boldly stated with a smug smile. Her eyes widened momentarily before she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the wall.

"I can't help it when I have feline tendencies whether I'm in that form or not. So, if you don't want me to claw your eyes out, I suggest you never do that again," she threatened, raising a hand to grow her nails into points like claws. She bared her teeth that now had long canines and her pupils were slits. She really did have feline attributes. Despite her dangerous appearance, he would not back down.

"You wouldn't claw my eyes out because you need me," he replied confidently.

"I can easily be your guide cat. I'll see for you for the rest of your life unless I do get caught then you're on your own with a plain old guide dog," she retorted poking him in the chest with a claw. He gulped and nodded.

"Yeah I guess that could happen. Um, it would help our team up if you didn't regularly make a habit of threatening me," he suggested. She released him and backed away, her features returning to normal.

"Agreed, I'll keep my temper while you respect me as more than just an animal. I'm tired of only being just that in everyone's eyes," she said, turning away to sit on his bed. Hope knew what she must be going through but was unsure how to address it so he simply sat next to her and took her hand.

"I'm sorry you were treated that way. I assure you, you won't be treated that way here," he told her. She looked at him curiously, reflecting her cat self. His eyes landed on the choker and wondered why she kept it on. He wanted to ask her but thought against it. He didn't want to get her flustered again because that quickly turned to anger. She flinched slightly when his hand brushed her palm. He turned over her hand to see the cut. It was a gash in this form and went from the top left of her palm to the bottom right.

"Sorry I left this open. I'm not much of a vet," he mumbled. Her hand closed on his and she sighed.

"It's ok, I heal fast. Maybe I could use something to cover it though just in case," she replied. He nodded and left to find something. He returned with gauze and carefully wrapped it around her hand.

"Thanks," she said, flexing her hand. He set the roll on his desk and sighed.

"Well I'm not much of a cook either but how about I take that cat food to my neighbor's house and get you something good instead?" he suggested.

"That would be better thank you," she responded, standing to full height. She was a little on the tall side and Hope could see plainly that she was a soldier. The toned muscles he felt when she was a cat transferred to the lean body she had now. He snapped himself out of his thoughts and led her into the kitchen. He let her search the fridge for anything of interest but pulled off the number for a pizza place from the cork board. He called and placed an order for a plain cheese pizza.

"Pizza won't ruin your figure will it?" he joked. She frowned but shook her head.

"I'm stuck physically unchanging. The effects of the transformation will keep my body in top condition. I heal, see, smell, and hear better too. This is because my human form mimics my animal form but to a smaller extent. My senses will only be better when I'm in animal form but my human form far surpasses normal people," she told him.

"Wow, that's pretty cool, but not worth the months of torture right?" he said, tacking on the last part to save himself from her wrath. She looked thoughtful for a second before replying.

"The Sanctum should definitely watch their backs. What I am now may or may not have made up for what I had to go through, but now that I have these abilities, I'm putting them to good use," she said. Her hands clenched and her eyes flashed. She obviously suffered enough. When the pizza came they ate in silence and then watched TV. As the hours dragged Hope began to grow tired. He fell into sleep and dreamed of the Sanctum busting down their door and killing his dad. Then they turned on him, only to be struck down by Lightning who leaped into the fray with her claw like hands for weapons. She easily fought them off with a series of acrobatic stunts and lethal claw attacks.

She even bit a few with her long fangs. He must have fidgeted through the whole dream because when he woke up something soft was pressed to his chest. Lightning was back in her cat form and was curled up under his arm. Her furry pink body warmed him up and comforted him. He hesitantly rubbed down her back and listened to her purr. As he pet her he wondered how she could be so amiable in this form but strict in human form. He attributed the cause to humans being more complex then animals. He checked the time on the clock and then shut off the TV. He slid off the couch, taking Éclair with him. He couldn't view the cat the same way if he didn't use the name he gave her. He made his way back to his room.

He set Éclair on his bed so he could go get dressed then he got in bed and brought the cat up to the pillow with him. He held her close and hoped the bad dream didn't pick up where it left off. He didn't want to see a replay of his father's death. He continued to pet Éclair until he fell back asleep. Luckily this time it was a dreamless sleep. In the morning Lightning woke to weight draped over her. She opened her eyes and began to stretch. She was on her side facing the wall and Hope pressed against her back. His arm was hanging over her arm near her elbow. She shifted carefully and then paused when she heard him yawn. She briefly had time to wonder how she lost her animal form when Hope's hand flexed against her stomach. She tensed and he froze.

"Hope, would you kindly take your hand off me," she grumbled. He yanked his body away and fell right out of the bed, unfortunately taking the blankets with him. Lightning quickly willed her body into her cat form before he could see anything.

"Lightning I'm so sorry! I didn't mean anything by it I swear! I didn't even know you were in that form! You were a cat and I was petting you but I fell asleep- hey, wait, why are you in your human form?" he questioned, fighting the sheets and pulling them away from his face to see Éclair perched on his bed swishing her tail. Her ears laid flat against her head. She looked like she was going to really claw his eyes out this time. She simply jumped from the bed and swiftly ran from the room. Seconds later he heard footsteps coming back into the room. Lightning was back and fully clothed.

"Oh Etro please don't kill me," he said as he flinched away from her cold gaze.

"I'm not going to kill you. It was an accident. I don't even know how that happened. Now are you going to get me new clothes or will I be stuck in these incredibly uncomfortable ones?" she questioned him with a hand on her hip.

"Yeah, let me take a quick shower and get dressed then we can go," he replied. He picked himself off the floor and headed to his drawer then to his closet and then past Lightning and out to the bathroom. He worked as fast as he could so as not to anger her. While he dressed, he couldn't help but remember the feel of her skin under his hand. Her fur was just as soft as her skin. He blushed and shook his head. It would do no good to think of her that way. He took a deep breath, let it out, and then left the bathroom.

"Hey, Light-" he began but stopped as he halted in front of the person he was addressing. He almost ran into her.

"I was just looking for you," he said awkwardly. She was standing up straight with her arms held close to her sides. She looked like she was back in the Corps.

"You called me Light," she replied stiffly. The space between them was minimal. He looked away and then met her glowing blue eyes. The hall was dark yet her eyes took on that cat like glow.

"I'm sorry, is that not ok?" he asked. In the dim light he could see her frown lessen.

"No, that's fine. It's not that bad of a nickname," she replied evenly.

"Good, um, I wanted to ask if you wanted to take a shower. I didn't know if you felt better taking a shower like this or in cat form…" he muttered. She raised an eyebrow and his eyes widened in realization.

"I mean, well, I didn't mean it that way. I was just trying to be a good host. Oh geez this isn't going the way I thought. Look, if you want to take a shower I'll get out of your way. I'm pretty sure you will be able to take a shower by yourself now," he corrected hastily. She remained silent so he sighed and slapped his forehead.

"I'm so stupid. Excuse me Light," he said, gently laying a hand on her arm to move around her. He was just about to let go when she grabbed him around the wrist.

"Hope," she said. He stopped and turned to look at her with a slight blush of embarrassment.

"Thank you for taking me in. I would have died or been caught out there. It would only be a matter of time. I'm sorry I cause you…problems, but I'll try my best to treat you better. I guess I'm just going through too much right now but that's not an excuse for the way I've returned your kind act so I apologize," she told him sincerely. Her grip on his wrist tightened somewhat before she let him go and went into the bathroom. He didn't get to see her face but he wished he did. He wanted to see what she was feeling at the moment. He rubbed his wrist in an attempt to remember her slim but strong grip. It was the first time, besides when she was a cat, when she moved to make contact with him. He smiled and then left to make breakfast. Lightning came down ten minutes later. Hope had finished their eggs and was frying the bacon when she entered the kitchen.

"Don't give away the cat food and keep the tray. When your father returns I'll have to go back to my animal form. Cat food isn't much but it will do. I've had far worse when I was out on watch for days in the Corps," she told him.

"Are you sure? I mean, once in a while I could take food to my room," he offered.

"If you want to that would be fine," she replied, sitting at the table. He nodded and placed a strip of bacon on each plate. He took the plates to the table and set one in front of Lightning and the other in the chair he preferred. Then he went back for two forks. He held one out for Lightning who took it from his hand but did not eat. He sat down and dug into his food.

"Are you ok?" he asked around a bite. He expected her to call him on talking with his mouth full but she said nothing about it.

"I'm fine, just measuring my options. Things are very different for me right now," she mumbled. Her expression clearly resembled concentrated thought.

"Are they good or bad?" he questioned.

"A little bit of both but maybe leaning more on bad," she replied, looking down at her plate. She still looked conflicted.

"How so?" he responded. Her eyebrows furrowed and then she answered.

"I'm not sure if sharing that with you now would be a good idea. We are making progress in the right direction and I don't want to ruin it," she said.

"Ok well let's hurry and finish so we can get you something better to wear," he said, trying to inject cheeriness into his voice. She nodded and began eating efficiently. It was like she didn't stop to taste anything and only ate because she needed to. He had seen this before when they ate pizza. They finished and Hope put the plates along with the pan in the sink. He went back to put on his shoes and then stopped when he realized Lightning didn't have shoes to wear. He looked in his closet for some sandals and then returned downstairs. Lightning was examining the room with her nose raised to the air like she smelled something.

"What's up?" he asked good-naturedly.

"I'm just testing the air for scents. I'll be able to find my way back in animal form should the need arise," she replied.

"Ok, well, while you were doing that I got you some sandals. I think they will fit but if they don't well then we can add shoes to the list of things to get. They are a better match than my dad's that's for sure," he said, holding out the dark blue sandals. She took them and slipped them on.

"You ready?" he asked. She nodded and headed for the door. He followed her but stopped at the door and gave her a questioning glance.

"What?" she asked.

"Do you think anyone would think it's odd that you have a bell?" he asked.

"It will be fine, I don't want to take it off," she muttered a reply. She wouldn't look him in the eyes when she said it.

"Why not, you can if you want to," he told her. She shook her head.

"Like I've said before, there are some things I do that have more to do with my animal form than me. My instincts have preferences that my human mind and body don't understand. This is one of them," she explained.

"And what's that?" he asked, generally curious to know. She fixed him with a hard stare that slowly turned into a worried gaze.

"As a cat I'm glad to know you as my human or owner. When I'm in my human form I see you as an ally or friend. Sometimes it gets confusing who I am at the moment and that's when instinct steps in to solve the problem. I may or may not like the outcome but I can't help feeling or thinking the way I do when it does. For this reason, I don't want to take off the collar because it's a symbol of you as my owner and the instincts tell me it's because you saved me," she said quietly. Hope smiled shyly but let her continue. She hastily jumped back into her explanation as if to correct her earlier display of emotion.

"I don't like the thought but it's true, so when I change into this form, whatever magic governing this transformation has allowed the human part of me to change the collar into an accessory instead. The magic is one with my body and mind, connecting me to whatever state I'm in. It's the reason I can retain intelligence far beyond a normal cat and why I can use cat like abilities while I'm human," she said. She fell into silence, a frown working its way onto her face. To save her from further humiliation that made him feel cared for, he opted for humor.

"I have a lot to learn. I think we both know I lost you around mixed thoughts as animal and human so let's leave it at that ok?" he told her with a smile. He reached for the door but Lightning stopped him with a hand placed on his.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of Light. I understand. People and pets always have close bonds. Maybe this will help later on, you never know. I may not be much but I look forward to protecting you too," he told her honestly. She looked at him like he was weird and he laughed. He flipped his hand over and held hers in his.

"Let's get going before we pour our heart out to each other. Oh yeah, you already did," he teased. She punched his shoulder with her free hand but the corner of her mouth tugged up a little. He rubbed his arm and then opened the door. He released her hand and walked out. She followed and he locked the door behind them.


	4. Chapter 4

They headed down the street to the group of shops surrounding the store Hope had gone to previously. After long hours of just browsing, Lightning managed to find a black sweater with no sleeves with a zipper at the top. It fit perfectly with the new shorts she picked out which were black as well. Hope encouraged her to pick out some clothes to wear around the house. She picked out a blue tank top along with a comfortable pair of sweat pants. These would serve as pajamas should she want to sleep in human form when his dad wasn't home too. Then they turned to the need for undergarments.

Like clothes, she didn't really need a lot because she would be spending the majority of her time in her animal form. So Hope gave her some money and politely opted out of entering that section. She came back with what she needed in a bag already paid for. They stopped by a shoe store where she bought brown boots and sandals that fit. Then they headed home. Hope lounged on the couch while Lightning found a place to stash her clothes. He didn't care where she chose as long as he never crossed them, especially the undergarments. He felt his face heat up and he jumped when Lightning called him.

"Now you finally listen. What are we eating tonight?" she asked. Once again, her tone translated into that demanding sound he had heard when she was a cat. He grinned and decided to tease her before giving an answer. He hung an arm over the couch so that he was facing her.

"I'll tell you if you ask me that again in cat form," he told her in as much a straight face as possible. She gave him her famous glare.

"I don't do tricks," she shot back, turning away to raid the kitchen. He listened to her searching when a thought occurred to him.

"You can't cook?" he called to her. The movemenst stopped and she answered a little reluctantly.

"I don't know how. I never learned because no one taught me," she answered.

"What about your mom?" he said.

"She died when I was young. My father died not too long after that from depression," she replied. It was the first time he heard her voice fall below the strong tone she always used. He got up from the couch to go to her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a tender subject," he apologized. He rounded the corner, ready to comfort her, and came to a stop at a pile of clothes. He heard her bell somewhere in the room before it was silent. He sighed and bent to collect her things and take them to the room.

"I'm sorry Light," he said again, hoping she heard him. She didn't show herself until late at night. Hope was lying on his bed with a book when he heard her bell. He continued to read. He felt his bed dip by his feet and then move slightly as soft paws pressed into the blankets. She ducked under his arm and climbed up on his stomach before sitting down. He set the book aside and looked into her calm blue eyes.

"Ready to talk?" he questioned the cat. She nodded and hopped off him. He grabbed her clothes and walked to the bathroom were he set them down on the counter. She ran into the bathroom and he shut the door behind him. He waited for her in the room. She returned with downcast eyes.

"I usually escape from strong emotions as a cat. It's the one thing about my condition that makes it worth having. As a cat my emotions aren't complex like they are when I'm a human. I can carry similar emotions back and forth but when you get down to it, only simple emotions transfer into my cat form," she explained. She sat on the bed with a sigh.

"That explains how you can be raging mad at me for reasons unknown and then purr like crazy minutes later when you're a cat," he pointed out.

"Sometimes, the anger I experience as a cat transfers into my human form a little too strongly because it must undergo that complex twist associated with thoughts cats don't think about. The whole process is pretty complex itself. I'm barely still getting used to it," she said. His eyebrows came together in thought before he spoke again.

"Does that happen with all emotions?" he questioned curiously. She tensed at the question, wanting to answer truthfully, but couldn't, knowing where he was headed with the turn the conversation had taken.

"No, not that I know," she responded carefully.

"So there's a chance," he pressed.

"Possibly," she replied. They fell silent after that. Lightning yawned and lied back on the bed to stretch.

"You tired?" Hope asked her.

"I'm usually very active at night but I guess running for a while threw me out of routine," she answered. He nodded and stood to turn off the lights. By the time he turned back around she was in her cat form, pushing at her clothes to free herself from them. He took them and threw them in the laundry hamper. He hoped his dad didn't do the laundry and ask why his mom's clothes were out and in his hamper. He returned to bed where Éclair walked over him and then under his arm to curl up next to him.

"Please hold that form all right?" he whispered to the cat. Her right ear flicked but that was all. He ran his hand once through her fur, finding himself wishing to touch her hair when she was a human. Her purrs eased him into a good sleep. When he woke in the morning Éclair was gone. He got up and went straight to the bathroom. After brushing his teeth and using the bathroom, he left to return to his room and just relax before fully waking up. Lightning was stretching on his bed when he returned. She was wearing the black undershirt and sweats. She hadn't seen him yet so he just quietly watched her. The way she stretched matched a cat's perfectly. He couldn't help but let out a chuckle. She heard him and turned to look at him.

"What are you gawking at?" she grumbled, lying on her stomach and propping her feet up. She rested on her elbows and held her head in her hand.

"You stretch like a cat," he said simply, leaning on the doorframe.

"I do most things like a cat. I'm surprised you are just now noticing," she retorted. He laughed and walked into the room.

"No I noticed just still hard to grasp," he said. He came over to sit next to her on the bed. She wrinkled her nose and then got up on her hands and knees to lean closer to him.

"What are you doing now?" he questioned her, slightly nervous at her proximity.

"Just testing," she replied nonchalantly.

"For my scent?" he guessed. She nodded and scooted closer. He remained perfectly still. Her nose was at his shoulder.

"Why haven't you done this in cat form?" he questioned, the nervousness rising and starting to show in his voice.

"Because you insist on distracting me with food, toys, or naps and I forget," she replied, slightly embarrassed. Her breath fanned across his neck and he shivered. He turned to look at her, a teasing comment on the way, but it died in his throat. She had been near his neck so that when he turned they were inches apart. She stared into his eyes, at a loss for what to do. Her instincts told her to be happy and love her human but as a human herself it felt weird to feel so attached to someone she barely knew. Hope on the other hand wanted to do something but his mind had locked.

They stayed staring at each other until a door outside slammed. Lightning flinched and then moved away. Hope jumped and then hastily focused on something other than her. When she was a cat he cared for in that special way people love their pets but now he wasn't sure what the feeling was. It was like he felt bonded to her in the same way he did when she was a cat which made no sense to him because as a human it felt different. He didn't even know who she was. As a cat, she was simply a cat, but as a human she had a background he wasn't entirely familiar with. Lightning peeked out the window, her body tense. She relaxed when she spied no Sanctum vehicle.

"Was it them?" he asked her breathlessly. Her presence still made him feel nervous. She shook her head and then headed for the door.

"Damn, good going Estheim," he muttered to himself. It looked like another lonely day when he left his room and was attacked by Éclair. She pounced on him and he screamed in surprise. He had tried jumping away and ended up falling over. She walked over to him with her tail held high and a triumphant gleam in her eyes.

"Oh, so you want to play that way eh?" he said with a smirk. Before she could jump away, he lunged at her and pinned her down. He got a good grip on her and then picked her up and cradled her in his arms so she couldn't escape.

"There, let's see you get out now," he challenged. He didn't expect her to bite him. He gasped and dropped her even though the bite didn't hurt. She easily landed on her feet and scampered off down the stairs.

"That wasn't fair Light!" he called after her. All he heard was a soft meow and her bell. He shook his head and then followed her. They had breakfast and then played a game of hide and seek which was plenty interesting to Hope because she was still in cat form and could be deadly quiet even with the bell. She always seemed to catch him off guard. By the end of the day he was laying on the couch after dinner with Éclair curled on his chest. It was times like these when he couldn't believe the very same cat that liked to cuddle with him was the very distant Lightning. Éclair suddenly stood, stretched, and then jumped onto the floor. He remained where he was until she came back. When she didn't return, he got off the couch with a grumble.

"What is she doing?" he wondered out loud.

"Éclair? Where are you?" he called. He walked into his room just to be tackled.

"I got you again Estheim," Lightning stated playfully. He briefly questioned her behavior when he remembered her telling him about her emotion transfers.

"I really hope you aren't going to make a habit out of this," he told her. She was currently leaning over him with a leg on each side of him and her hands on either side of his shoulders.

"You can't blame me I'm a cat remember?" she replied, a small smile on her face. She leaned down to touch her nose to his cheek and then moved to whisper in his ear.

"I liked playing hide and seek. It reminded me of when I had to hunt for food," she said, a smirk crossing her lips.

"And I'm guessing I'm the mouse," he said. She nodded and then stood. She offered him her hand and he took it.

"To be fair, I think you did ok. I know your scent too well now to lose track of you though," she said, all traces of her playfulness gone.

"How is that fair? I'm playing a game I can't win," he complained.

"Aren't we all?" she questioned him. He looked at her to see her looking at him with a slightly melancholy frown.

"Do you want to go to bed?" he asked her. She smiled and his eyes widened at yet another play on words he didn't mean.

"Why do I keep doing that? You know what I mean don't you?" he said hastily.

"Yeah, don't beat yourself up about it. We're all adults here, or I think you are anyway," she said.

"Hey, I resent that," he replied. Hope got ready for bed while Lightning sat in the desk chair, trying to think up a plan to infiltrate the Sanctum. Hope came back out and she went in. Things had been so crazy she hadn't even had time to consider hygiene besides taking a shower. She glanced at the lone toothbrush in a cup on the counter. She sighed and then picked it up. After she had brushed her teeth she returned to Hope's room. He was already lying down with the same book he had before. She switched off the light and then walked over and climbed on the bed only to push the book out of his hands and hug him close. Hope was temporarily confused.

"What are you doing? Not that I mind, but I'm just asking," he said.

"Shut up and get comfortable," she replied, not feeling like explaining herself again. He did as he was told. Lightning had joined him under the blankets so that he could hug her against his chest like he did when she was a cat. He soon discovered it was oddly comforting having her in his arms either way. They were silent for a few minutes and then Hope spoke tiredly.

"Hey Light," he began.

"Yeah," she replied. She felt his hand begin to caress her arm like he would pet her in cat form to fall asleep.

"There will be a time when you have to leave right?" he added.

"Yes," she answered again.

"But could you stay a little longer? I'll miss you. I'll be lonely. I know you want to find your sister but could you stay a little longer for me?" he asked her. The small amount of pleading in his voice went a long way to strengthen her affection for him however she still had to think on it. By the time she answered he was almost asleep.

"Yes Hope, I'll stay longer. After all, I have to protect you right?" she replied.

"Thanks Light," he said, tightening his hold on her slightly. She debated telling him her real name and then just said it without hesitation.

"It's Claire," she whispered, but she was too late. By the sound of his even breathing, he was already asleep. She sighed and held him closer. Right now she felt like just being herself. Not a cat or the soldier she had to be. She just wanted to be Claire and Hope helped her do that. In a matter of minutes she fell into sleep. Lightning was nudged awake by something. She swatted at the nuisance and then tried to go back to sleep.

"Hey Light, wake up. You slept late and I have breakfast ready," Hope whispered, pushing at her shoulder again.

"I hate mornings, I function better at night," she grumbled into the pillow. Hope laughed.

"Is that the cat talking or you?" he asked.

"Both," she replied. She sat up and stretched, fully aware that Hope was smiling at her. She rolled her eyes and threw back the blankets. She pushed past him and headed for the bathroom. Hope waited for her and then they went into the kitchen together. After breakfast they lounged in the living room. Lightning lied over the arms of a cushy chair while Hope lied across the couch.

"So I noticed the litter was never used," he said. She sighed before answering.

"That is something you can never make me do. I've eaten cat food many times but I will never use a litter box. I snuck into the bathroom at one point," she replied.

"Should I give that to the neighbor?" he guessed.

"Yes," she replied without hesitation. He smiled and laughed at the disdain in which she answered.


	5. Chapter 5

Conversation between them veered into silence until a question forced Hope to speak up once more. He gauged her expression well before saying anything. He wanted to make sure he wasn't ruining an otherwise quiet moment that she may have wanted.

"Hey Light," he said, getting her attention.

"Yes," she replied.

"What did you do exactly in the Guardian Corps?" he questioned.

"We were a unit focused on settling domestic disputes and arresting those who broke the law. Now PSICOM handles everything from secret plans to bodyguards to catching a thief," she answered with a frown and distaste in her tone.

"So you had a weapon?" he pressed.

"Yes, a Blazefire Saber. It was the top gunblade at the time. Hard to wield in anybody's hands but I was an expert. They took it when I was dragged in for testing," she responded. Hope heard the longing in her voice when she mentioned her weapon.

"Do you miss it?" he asked next. Silence met his inquiry for a long time before she answered.

"I miss my team in Guardian Corps a lot. They were like a family. My lieutenant was a good man and we made a great team. I only hope they're still safe and just taking shifts for PSICOM. Not serving as guinea pigs for the Sanctum," she said. Hope felt it was his cue to remain quiet. Even though she never openly showed her feelings, her voice held many emotions and right now she sounded hurt. The rest of the day was spent cleaning around the house, taking the litter and its box next door, and then alternating between reading and watching TV. Lightning went back to her cat form and Hope saw her explore a room once in a while. She was probably mapping the house again. By the time it started getting dark, Hope began to get nervous. His dad would be coming home soon. Everything would go back to how it used to be. Lightning would no longer be able to rest from her cat form. He knew he would miss her just being her. Time passed and it began to get late. Hope switched from pacing to checking the time for the seventh time in ten minutes. His worry over Lightning slowly turned to worry over his father.

"Where **is** he?" Hope said anxiously.

"Your father hasn't come home," Lightning suddenly said behind him. He jumped and spun around.

"I felt your distress. Are you ok Hope?" she asked with genuine concern.

"What if they caught him? What if he's already dead? He hasn't returned like he said he would. Lightning, I'm worried something happened to him," he said. He was closing in on panic when Lightning stepped in and slapped his shoulder. He froze and grabbed his arm, giving her a shocked stare.

"Calm down, for all you know he may have missed a flight or the flight is late or he got lost on the way to the airport," she tried to console him, even though she knew none of those where true.

"His flights are never late. He uses private Sanctum run flights like every other worker," he responded. His eyes suddenly registered something.

"If they wanted to stop him it would be all too easy," he continued, escalating back into panic. Lightning left the room only to return in her animal form. She rubbed against his legs and cried until he picked her up. She began to purr once she was in his arms and she rubbed her head against him. He started to calm down and his hold on her loosened. He sat back on his bed and took deep breaths. Éclair continued to purr and then got up to knead his stomach with her soft paws. He laughed and pulled her up to stare into her eyes.

"Thanks, I kneaded that. Get it? Kneaded and needed?" he said. Her ears moved back and her tail swished. Hope knew she would have been raising her eyebrows at him right now.

"Ok stupid joke but I do feel better. Thank you," he said gratefully. He brought her closer and kissed the top of her head. She licked his cheek.

"So open in cat form yet so closed off when you're in human form; what's wrong with showing emotions with you Light?" he questioned the cat. She meowed and struggled from his grasp so he let her go. She darted from the room and didn't come back in.

"Did I say something?" he wondered. He stayed in the room, trying not to think of what his dad was going through at the moment and trying to stay calm when Lighting entered the room with a cold slice of left over pizza. He gave her a questioning stare.

"What, I was hungry," she said after she swallowed. She walked over and sat on the bed.

"I'm sorry about your father Hope but I have a plan. I read online that they give civilians tours through the Sanctum building. I was thinking you could sign up for it and I'll somehow follow. Once we're inside, we can sneak off from the group and find out what we need. If you get caught you can just say you got lost," she proposed, finishing off the pizza.

"Umm, I don't know. I'm pretty sure they will know I'm Bartholomew Estheim's son," he told her doubtfully.

"And if so they will most likely take you wherever they took your dad **if **that's what happened," she reasoned easily.

"I don't like it Light," he said honestly.

"I know but it's the only way I can think of. I have to expose them for what they are but I can't just break in. I can't risk raising an alarm before I even found my team. And as much as I don't want you in harm's way I need you to help me," she replied just as honestly. He saw the intense determination in her gaze and nodded.

"Ok, when will we do this?" he gave in even though he was still scared.

"First, you need to sign up for the tour. I read that the shortest time to wait is two weeks and the longest is two months," she explained. He looked at her like he hoped she was kidding.

"It's our best shot," she reminded him.

"Ok, ok, can I sign up online?" he questioned. She nodded.

"The sooner the better," she replied. He stood and walked over to his laptop. He tiredly sat in the chair and started the laptop up. In a matter of minutes he found what he was looking for. After signing up, he shut off the computer and turned to see Lightning spread out and asleep on her back on his bed. He smiled.

"Lightning? Hey Light," he called to her. She shifted slightly but remained asleep. He got up and crossed the room. He climbed up on the bed and brushed a stand of hair from her face. She looked serene when she slept. He watched her for any movements or a sign that she would wake up and then leaned closer. He was just about to close the gap when he was thrown back on the bed so quick he almost didn't catch it. He was now lying on his back pressed into the bed. Lightning held him down by the shoulders and straddled his waist.

"You might have heard that cats sleep with an eye open. I don't but my hearing can pick up on almost anything," she told him.

"I was hoping to catch you unaware," he responded. She glared at him.

"You have no manners. You could have just asked," she said.

"Really? In that case can I kiss you Lightning?" he asked with a smile. Her face was a mask of seriousness when she answered.

"No," she replied. He pushed her over and tried holding her down but she slipped out of his hold and easily pushed him off the bed. He fell flat on his back. She heard a groan and looked over the side of the bed.

"Not smart trying to outfight a trained soldier right?" he said through a pained voice.

"Yes, it wasn't such a good idea but…" she said, getting off the bed and kneeling next to him. She helped him into a sitting position and then kissed him on the cheek.

"There, for the effort," she told him. He smiled and touched his cheek.

"What if I can make a better effort?" he inquired.

"Then you get a better reward of course," she responded with her rare but playful smile.

"Next time then," he promised. They helped each other up and then headed down to get something to eat. After words, they went back to the room where Hope grabbed Lightning in a playful tackle, hoping to catch her by surprise. He knew for sure he had her pinned but for the first time she transformed right in front of him. In a shimmer of light, he lost hold of her and she landed at his feet as a cat. She looked at him once before taking off. He was too shocked to move for a while and then when he came back to reality, he picked up her clothes and set them on his chair. A meow sounded downstairs and he grinned.

"She's trying to lure me down there I just know it. The sad thing is, I'm stupid enough to do it anyway," he muttered. He descended the stairs and then carefully searched for her. She jumped on his back from a cabinet and he screamed.

"Dammit, how do you do that?" he complained. She darted out of the room and he chased her. He jumped and managed to snag her leg. She hissed and turned to paw at his hand but didn't use her claws. He crawled over to her and flipped her on her back. He then rubbed her belly and laughed at the angry look she gave him.

"Love is torture isn't it Éclair?" he said. She cocked her head at him and her blue orbs watched him curiously.

"You can't help loving a cute cat like you," he reasoned. She rolled onto her side and then stood. She meowed and then ran up the stairs. He sat for a while, wondering if he just told Lightning he loved her or not. He settled on liking her a lot and then stood to go follow her. When he entered his room he noticed her clothes were gone. He backed out and looked at the bathroom but it was open and the light was off. He went to peek in carefully but she wasn't there. He looked down the hall and then walked into his dad's study. Lightning stood by the desk in the moonlight that shined through the curtains. She turned to him with a picture of the three of them, his dad, his mom, and him.

"You miss her, don't you? You're afraid you'll lose your father now. I understand," she told him quietly, a quality to her voice he hadn't heard before. She set the frame down and then walked over to place a comforting hand on his face.

"Stay strong Hope. I promise everything will turn out all right," she assured him. He laid a hand over hers and held it there. She continued past him and left. Hope remained there, staring at his dad's desk and then left the room. He shut the door behind him. His dad never came back. The two weeks had passed and Hope still got no confirmation that he was in the tour. Lightning tried to keep him happy but there were just times when he couldn't be consoled. She found herself letting him get closer to her for the sake of cheering him up. He didn't take offers to go out with his friends so she had to hold him up on her own. One night he was being completely unreachable and grew angry at the Sanctum.

"I know they're hurting innocent people just to further themselves but all we can do is watch and wait. I can bet on the fact that they are using your father to get to you. The worst they can ever do to your father is hurt you so you mustn't-" she tried for the seventh time.

"I get it ok? We have to sit here safe and sound while he's in danger," Hope snapped, crossing his arms and turning away on his desk chair. Lightning stood from the bed swiftly. In the time she got to know Hope her patience had started to broaden unknowingly but now they had worn thin once more.

"I'm only trying to help Hope. If you don't want it then fine. Go ahead and sulk all day," she growled. She left the room quickly, not wanting to upset him further with her temper. Hope remained in his room, continuing to do what Lightning accused him of until his anger ran out. Lightning never came back up even once to check on him. He thought about his worst days and realized how he had been treating her. He sighed and stood to go apologize. He found her lying on her side on the couch with her hands under her chin resting on the arm of the couch. It was a classic relaxing cat look. He stood in front of her and waited to get her attention.

"I'm sorry Light. I know this whole thing is part of the plan but it's so frustrating," he told her, not looking at her once he had her attention.

"I know. If I had the opportunity to get revenge on what took my parents I would but I can't. You **could **run in without a plan and break your father out but their forces **will **stop you. It's the reason we have to do this carefully," she responded evenly. Despite her tone of voice he knew she was still irritated.

"Your right, I'll do this your way for now on I promise," he said, sitting down next to her. She glanced at him and then looked away.

"Come on Light, don't be a stubborn cat," he teased. She gave him a look that reflected her as a cat with her ears back. He then did the only thing that would make her ears relax. He reached out and ran a hand down her side. She closed her eyes and relaxed just as planned. Then she realized what he did and pushed him off the couch with her foot.

"The look on your face says it all," he said with a laugh, pulling himself up. She pushed him over again and then ran for the room. He quickly caught on and chased her. He almost had her on the stairs but she easily outmaneuvered him and leaped out of his grasp. She ran into his room where he was sure to corner her but she jumped on his bed when he tried to tackle her. She smirked at him and then leaped over him to land nimbly by the door. Right when she landed he jumped at her like a frog and caught a hold of her ankle. With a tug she stumbled and fell. He crawled the rest of the way over, careful not to lose his grip on her.

"There, I finally caught you," he said, panting but with a grin. He leaned over her and held her down by the wrists. She was breathing heavily but her eyes were alive and a smile tugged at her lips.

"It seems you have," she replied. He straddled her hips, careful to keep his full weight of her and then leaned down. Her gaze immediately zeroed in on his actions. He was close enough for his nose to touch hers but she didn't move. He let her wrists go and her hands quickly moved to his shoulders where she pushed him away slightly.

"Hope," she warned. She was serious now but he refused to listen. He moved to hold her face in his right hand and lean on his left. His thumb was across her cheek while the rest of his fingers slid under her ear and down her neck. He caressed her skin and she closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling. She told herself she shouldn't give in but it was hard not to. Hope smiled at the content expression on her face.


	6. Chapter 6

When she opened her eyes they were half lidded. He let some time pass when she was perfectly at ease, only staring down contentedly at her. He prayed she wouldn't hurt him and then he leaned in and brought his lips to hers. She tensed under him and didn't respond at first but then his hand found that sensitive spot again and she gave in. He kept the kiss soft and gentle. Her hands moved up to link around his neck. When he pulled back he waited for her wrath to strike. Instead she looked away.

"Not as bad as I thought," she spoke quietly. He chuckled and moved to stand but she pushed him over before he could.

"Hey," he exclaimed. She sat up with a laugh and then pounced on him.

"Didn't I say I would claw your eyes out if you did that again?" she asked, sitting on him without restraining him. She merely looked down at him with a slight tilt of her head. Her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Do what?" Hope asked innocently.

"You know I go soft when you rub under my ear," she helpfully reminded him.

"Oh that, I had no idea," he replied, feigning ignorance. She growled playfully and smacked his shoulder.

"You're supposed to ask remember?" she said.

"But you would say no," he responded.

"You wouldn't know that until you tried," she disagreed.

"Ok then, can I kiss you again?" he asked, waiting for the no. She smiled.

"That's better," she replied, leaning in to lick his lips. He couldn't help but let out a groan.

"Does a cat kiss work for you?" she questioned. He only nodded.

"Good," she said, pushing off him to stand. She offered him a hand up and he took it.

"How about we get something to eat and watch a movie. I think I should try winding down," he told her truthfully. He looked away with a blush.

"Good idea. Come on," she responded, slowly falling back into her naturally stern personality. Hope followed her with a bounce in his step. He finally broke through her tough exterior. She was a more passionate person underneath but he could see why she never showed her soft side. It was obvious defense was a priority for her seeing as she went through a lot and had to fight in the Guardian Corps. Hesitation was not allowed on a battlefield. After eating they put on something to watch. He lied on the couch as always but this time Lightning commanded him to scoot over. She squeezed on next to him and got comfortable. As the movie progressed Hope was itching to touch her.

She watched the movie with all her attention and didn't even act like anything between them happened. Hope on the other hand couldn't take it. He looked at her, calm and relaxed with an arm hanging off the couch. Her other arm lied across her hip. He licked his lips nervously, remembering her cat kiss for courage and then ran a hand over her stomach. He felt the toned muscles tense but he continued to run his hand over her. Soon she had shifted so she was on her back and let her head fall back on the armrest. She closed her eyes and sighed. He expected her to start purring but of course she didn't. He moved to curl his arm around her and then pull her closer. Her body was now pressed against his. He leaned down to kiss her neck.

"Light, what are we?" he whispered in her ear. She remained quiet for a few seconds. Hope didn't think she would answer but eventually she did.

"I care for you a lot...I wouldn't have let any of this happen if I didn't, but at the same time I don't know if I want this," she responded honestly. When she saw him nod sadly but with understanding she continued.

"It's not you, but because I don't want distractions," she told him. He knew that was the problem.

"The other reason…" she began again. This time her voice wavered like she was unsure how to continue.

"The other reason it that I've never felt remotely connected to anyone and the thought of losing another person I care about scares me," she mumbled. She looked away from his searching gaze. He reached over and held her chin so he could see her face again.

"Light, no matter what happens I'll try my best to protect you. You don't have to worry about me. We will get to the Sanctum and we will shut down their operation. I'll find my father, you will find your sister, and everything will be ok," he said assuredly.

"But how can you know for sure?" she asked doubtfully.

"Hope, it's why I'm named after it," he replied with a small smile. She wanted to believe that but hope had left her behind a long time ago. They fell asleep for a short time holding each other and woke up at exactly the same time. After breakfast Hope got a call saying he had a spot in the tour tomorrow. He told Lightning and she grew pensive. By the afternoon Lightning had put on the clothes they bought. She claimed she wanted to be ready on a dime so Hope followed her example. He would sleep in his clothes if he had to. The tour would start pretty early so they had to get a good sleep. They both began to pace with anxiety and nerves but for two different reasons.

"Are you ok?" Lightning asked him. He only nodded.

"You don't have to do this. I can find a way in and-" she began but he shook his head.

"No, I want to go. I have to. I won't let you go alone." he told her. His tone of voice held a hard edge she had not heard before.

"Ok," she said, reserved. He smiled and turned to look at her but movement over her shoulder and out the window caught his attention. Lightning stiffened and tried to warn Hope but the door was already busted in. Lightning cursed, wishing they spent all the time in Hope's room where it was safe. Five PSICOM soldiers marched in along with their captain.

"Get down on the ground or we shoot," he ordered. The soldiers each held a gun that was all aimed at Lightning. She quickly pushed Hope on the floor and then lifted up the couch and set it on its side for cover.

"Stay there!" she yelled at him before taking off. He wanted to stop her but she was gone. He reprimanded himself for not being quicker. Lightning ran at the group, teeth bared, claws out, and eyes flashing.

"Fire!" the commander shouted. They let loose but Lightning's agility kept her out of their sights. She reached the captain and rolled so that when she stopped on her back, she threw her body up feet first with her hands, and slammed her feet into the guy's chin. He stumbled back, tripping up the soldier behind him. She lashed out at the nearest soldier and caught him across the throat then flipped away from one who shot at her. The soldier behind her took the shot in the chest. She landed on the floor on her hands and feet. Crouched as she was, she took off on all fours and then pounced on the next soldier. She kicked the gun from his hands and then sunk her teeth in his neck. Shots from the other two rang out and she jumped from the now bullet riddled soldier's shoulders. One of the two charged her and slammed the gun into her. She hit the wall and he held her there.

"Get the boy!" the captain bellowed.

"No!" she screamed. Anger fueled her adrenaline. She slammed the gun into his stomach, flipped it around, and then pulled the trigger. She dropped the gun and threw the soldier aside. She dodged the shots fired at her from the captain and tripped the soldier running towards the upturned couch. Once he was down she finished him off.

"Damn!" the captain yelled. He pulled out a knife on his belt and ran over. Lightning's back was turned as she was too busy cutting the throat of the downed soldier. Hope peeked out from behind the couch.

"Light look out!" he screamed. She looked up at him and then turned. The captain was already on her. He swung at her, cutting her deep across the back. She cried out but launched herself at him anyways. She grabbed him around the middle and slammed him to the floor. They wrestled for the knife and Lightning finally pulled it from his grasp. His fist shot out and connected with her jaw. She was dazed long enough for him to grab her by the wrist holding the knife. She pushed back against him, trying to bring the knife to his throat. He swiftly elbowed her in the face and she lost her hold on the knife. He managed to yank it from her grip but she caught his hand before he could use it.

"You were the worst mistake the Sanctum ever made!" he screamed at her. Both of their arms were shaking now from the effort.

"Yes and its time the Sanctum paid for it!" she growled. He pushed past her hold and the blade cut across her stomach but she was already going for his throat. All her killer instincts told her to always aim for the throat. Her fangs found his jugular and tore. His arms fell to the floor and the blade rolled from his lifeless fingers. She stood, panting and tired. The adrenaline rush was denying her the feeling of pain at the moment. Movement behind her made her skittish. She swung around and lashed out; catching Hope across his cheek. He stumbled back and then quickly advanced to pin her arms to her sides.

"Lightning, it's me. Calm down, it's me," he pleaded. Her eyes were wild and she struggled but once he started talking she began to calm down. Hope's grip loosened on her arms and then he let go when he was sure she calmed down. She swayed for a second and then stumbled to lean on the wall.

"Hope, are you ok?" she questioned. He nodded. A sound by the door made them both jump. A lone soldier had come in.

"Stand down experiment 3165!" he commanded. He rushed to knock her to her knees with a blow to her back. She stayed down. Meanwhile, Hope had not been seen so he grabbed the nearby knife and snuck behind the soldier who was busy securing Lightning's hands behind her back. Hope shook with fear but he ran up behind the soldier and reached around to place the knife at his throat.

"Release her or your dead," he said as threatening as possible. The soldier froze and then jumped into action. He swung an arm back and jabbed Hope in the side and he dropped the knife. The soldier then spun around and punched him across the face. He fell to the floor and lied their groaning. Lightning pulled on her bindings, feeling that they weren't yet secured. She put the last of her strength into breaking them. Once she was free, she grabbed the knife and struck at the soldier's hamstrings. He screamed and fell heavily to the floor face first. She jumped on his back and stuck the knife in his neck. She pulled it out, let it drop to the floor, and then rolled off the dead soldier and landed on her back tiredly. She flinched when the gash stung.

"Hope?" she called. When she received no reply she rolled on her stomach and then forced herself up. Her stomach injury protested along with her back but she stood anyway. She staggered a few steps and then fell to her knees by Hope. He coughed and then looked at her.

"That was my first fight and it really hurt," he ground out.

"They tend to be that way but you did what you could," she replied.

"Thanks but I felt like I did horribly. Was that the last one?" he replied. She nodded. He took a deep breath and sat up. His jaw was bruised and his cheek bled but other than that he looked fine. He held his side every time he tried to move. They stayed where they were to rest and then helped each other stand. Hope let Lightning lean on him while they walked over to the staircase. They sat on the bottom step.

"I'm sorry Hope. I let my instinct go a little too far," she said suddenly. He looked at her questioningly.

"Don't be, I understand," he answered. She looked at him and noted the cut on his cheek. She leaned over and brushed his cheek with something like concern.

"Will you be ok?" he asked her, taking her hand in his.

"I'll be fine, but unlike the cut on my hand these injuries will heal at a slower rate," she replied.

"Are you ok in there?" a voice called from the door. They looked up. A man was looking in at them.

"I heard guns going off. The neighborhood is panicking out here. What happened?" the man asked, stepping into the house.

"A creature broke into the house. We called PSICOM to handle the problem but it got away. Could you call 911? I'll get a hold of PSICOM," Hope spoke up. Lightning remained quiet, trying not to draw attention to herself and slightly surprised he easily jumped into an explanation. The man nodded and left to make the call. Ten minutes later the ambulance showed up to cart the bodies away and tend to any still alive. Hope answered any questions he could and when asked whether he called PSICOM he had said yes. They left, thinking Hope was waiting for PSICOM who would never showed. Hope and Lightning spent some time propping up the door in its frame, planning to fix it at a later time. Hope turned to Lightning when that was done.

"I still want to help you in any way I can," he reminded her. She gave him a small smile and then grabbed his hand. She walked a little unsteadily but led him up the stairs and into the bathroom. She climbed in the tub and then looked at him before a shimmer of light enveloped her. He walked over and moved the clothes out of the way. He put her clothes in the sink and then turned back to the bloody pink cat in the tub. A big cut curved over her back and another on her underside. He petted her head and then turned on the water. After her bath Hope wrapped the gauze around her middle to stop any extra blood flow. True to her word, the cuts were already slowly starting to heal. He took her into his room and set her down on the bed.

"I'll be right back ok. You rest," he told her. He grabbed his pajama bottoms and then left to change in the bathroom. He took both his and her clothes to the washing machine. He stayed to think quietly on his own. The Sanctum had struck before they could carry out their plan. He tried to work out how they had known or if they had not known and it was just coincidence. If so, then they already knew who he was and their plan wouldn't work. They had to sneak in another way. He pulled out the clothes and then threw them in the dryer. He spent the time deciding whether he should tell Lightning the plan wouldn't work or help her think up something new to add to what they had already planned. He sighed heavily and took out the clothes. He returned to his room and put his clothes in his drawer then he folded Lightning's clothes and set them on the chair. He just wanted to fall into bed at this point.

"Hey Éclair, feeling better?" he asked the pink cat curled up in his bed. She raised her head to look at him then she stood and walked over to the top of the blankets to paw at them. In no time she had crawled under, turned around, and then came up to lie on the pillow.

"So that's how you do that," he said with a chuckle. He walked over and moved the blankets so he could lay with her. He pulled her closer and rubbed his face in the fur on the back of her neck. Even after a bath he could still smell her distinct scent, the same one that clung to her even in her human form.

"I know you may not want to accept it Light, but I really care for you," he mumbled sleepily. Her ears twitched and she began to purr. He fell asleep with a smile on his wary face. In the morning he was awoken by something soft tickling his nose. He opened his eyes and saw Éclair sitting on his chest looking at him with her intense deep blue eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm in a good mood and happy that everyone likes this so much so I'm going to post another chapter early! Like I always say, enjoy! Oh, and points to anyone who can tell me where I got the names of Lightning's team mates and their origin!**

* * *

Éclair pawed at Hope's nose and meowed, trying to wake him up all the way. He groaned and reached out to place a hand on her back.

"I felt like I got no sleep," he confessed. She rubbed her head on his face, licked his nose, and then jumped off the bed. He yawned and stretched then followed her to the bathroom.

He made sure he grabbed her clothes from the chair on the way out of his room. He set them on the toilet top and then turned his attention to the sink. A shimmer of bright light made him freeze in the middle of brushing his teeth. Lightning had changed back into her human form.

"Don't even think of looking," she warned him. He nodded and continued to brush his teeth. By the time he was done she was dressed.

"We need to hurry or we won't get over there in time," she told him, taking the tooth brush from him before he could put it back.

"That's something I have to talk to you about. You use my toothbrush?" he questioned, pointing at the object.

"Yes, what difference does it make? I need to brush my teeth too," she replied unaffected.

"But there is a difference," he argued. She set the toothbrush down and advanced on him. Unsure what she was going to do, he backed up until his back hit the wall. She didn't touch him but instead she leaned in so that her nose brushed under his chin.

"What's the difference?" she asked him. He gulped but answered her.

"I've been a gentleman. I didn't want to push anything. Even a kiss," he replied. She nodded in agreement.

"You are. Mind not being a gentleman for me?" she asked.

"Yeah I think I can," he said. They both leaned in and their lips met for the second time. This one went deeper as promised. When they finally broke apart Hope sighed.

"Now is there a difference?" she asked. He shook his head.

"I guess not," he responded. She turned away to pick up the tooth brush and carry on brushing her teeth. Hope asked himself why cats were so hot and cold. One minute they like to cuddle and the next they want to be left alone and Lightning was no different. She finished brushing her teeth and Hope followed her out of the bathroom.

"Are you feeling better? The cuts don't hurt do they?" he questioned. She touched her stomach but shook her head.

"No, they don't hurt anymore," she answered.

"Do **they** hurt?" she questioned, eyeing the cut and purple bruise covering his jaw and the added bruise on his side.

"No," he answered the same.

"Good, you need to be in good health should we run into trouble," she said, returning to the room to get her boots.

"About that, um, they know who I am. If they specifically came here to get me they know who I am. How are we going to get in?" he questioned.

"It doesn't matter," she replied darkly.

"What?" he asked.

"When we show up they will take us in. I'm sure they will take you to your father and as for me well I'll probably go back to the lab. I'll fight my way to you after finding my sister and then we will escape," she reasoned.

"What about exposing the Sanctum for what they've done?" he inquired.

"I know others who don't like what is happening. They will be witnesses along with any evidence I can take to prove it. Driven by the fear of losing their pride and possibly the people's loyalty they will stop," she answered.

"And you're sure about this how?" he said. He didn't like the idea of her going anywhere near those labs.

"I have hope," she said simply. He was taken aback by her answer but accepted it. They left the house and traveled by bus into the middle of the city. A block away and they stood outside with a small crowd waiting to be let into the Sanctum headquarters. Hope held Lightning's hand for support. The guide led them into the grand building but two PSICOM soldiers stepped up to block Hope and Lightning.

"Come with us," one said, slightly demanding. They followed the soldiers without a fight. At a fork in the hall, one soldier grabbed Hope's arm and practically dragged him down the left hall while the other grabbed Lightning. Her senses were on high alert and she was fighting the urge to tear into the soldier for treating Hope the way he did. The last thing she saw of him was sad, worried, green eyes.

"Get going," the soldier said to her, poking her in the back with a gun. She began walking down the right hall. Hope was thrown into a room that only contained two chairs, a table, and a TV. A door in the room was marked Rest Room. The door locked behind him.

"Hope, is that you?" a timid voice asked from the table.

"Dad?" Hope replied with relief. He ran to hug his dad who held him thankfully.

"They found out I was trying to release their experiments and I got thrown in here. At least they treat me well. I'm guessing they are still trying to decide what to do to me," he explained.

"I'm just glad you're alive. Look, we're going to be ok. That cat I found, she's one of them. She's kept me safe all this time. She's going to get us out of here," Hope told him.

"I know," Bartholomew replied.

"What?" Hope said.

"I could tell she was one of them right when I saw her. I was hoping she would stay and protect you. It was my only hope. You see, I've heard many things about Lightning Farron and I know she is the best thing to fall into our lives," his dad said.

"Funny, a PSICOM commander said she was the worst thing to happen," Hope said.

"Indeed, for the Sanctum she's bad news. They couldn't have picked a more anti Sanctum driven individual than her. She's determined to a fault and the animal she was paired with only increases her danger level," Bartholomew said.

"Dad, why didn't you at least tell me what you were doing; a heads up would have been nice," he said.

"I wanted to but I thought it would have been safer for you not to know in case they hurt you for information. That's something I didn't want to happen," he replied.

"So that device in my room blocked me from them right?" Hope said. Bartholomew looked surprised.

"How did you know?" he wondered.

"Lightning sensed it," he said.

"That reminds me. Her sister Serah is in the room next to us. It seems they like to keep the people they question in a separate area of the building as the people they punish. Lightning is probably being taken to the basement floors where they will most likely subject her to anything that will make her bow to their will," Bartholomew told his son gravely.

"Then we have to do something!" Hope exclaimed.

"There isn't much we can do son. It's really up to her. If there was a way to get out of here I would have already done it," he said doubtfully. Hope clenched his fists and made a noise of irritation. Bartholomew recognized such anger. He had seen it and felt it before in himself when he found out how Nora died. It was the Sanctum's fault as well. He looked at his now pacing son and smiled. Lighting meant more to him than he let on.

"She **will **break out of there. I was told when cats got away with something, they usually get away with it every time after that. They need it to save them from their curiosity," he told Hope, giving him a smile to help him feel better. Hope nodded.

"Yeah, she'll be ok," he agreed. They sat for almost an hour when sounds echoed out in the hall. The soldiers guarding them screamed commands as well as pain. Then everything went quiet. Hope and Bartholomew exchanged expressions of confusion. The lock was thrown and the door opened. Lightning came in, fresh cuts on her face, arms, legs, and torso. She was breathing heavily and looked worn out but her eyes blazed with fury. Her hands flexed open and closed, displaying her claw like hands. Her irises were slits again.

"Lightning!" Hope exclaimed. He ran over to her with a smile. Bartholomew followed his son tentatively.

"Nice to finally meet you Farron," Bartholomew greeted.

"Likewise sir," she said, before turning to Hope.

"More guards should be coming any time soon. Let's go," she said urgently.

"Wait Light, my dad said they have Serah in the next room," he told her. She froze and as worry leaked into her fierce features.

"Show me," she directed at Bartholomew. He nodded and led them out. They stopped at the next door on the other side of the hall. She tried the door and found it locked so she stood back and then ran full tilt at the door and jumped. Her flying kick knocked the door in, tearing at the lock and its hinges. She flew through into the room and landed gracefully on her hands and feet. The door swung back, hit the wall, and slowly swung back closed. Hope burst into the room after her. Lightning had found her sister and was hugging her at the moment. The younger one was in tears and Lightning looked like she was close to tears too. Hope thought they were almost twins.

"I'm so happy you're safe Serah. I was worried," Lightning told her young sister.

"I missed you so much Claire," Serah replied.

"Claire?" Hope wondered. At the sound of his voice Serah released her sister and turned to Hope.

"Serah, this is Hope Estheim. We are going to bust out of this place together along with anyone else I can get," Lightning told her.

"That's suicide," Serah exclaimed.

"No, just fighting for what's right. Look, I want you and Hope to get out of here while I take any troops I can find and kill that damn Fal'Cie. With it gone the Sanctum will be nothing and no one will have to be subjected to this," she growled. Serah looked at her older sister with worry but nodded. She must have already gotten used to her strong decisions but Hope wasn't.

"I'm going with you," he said determinedly.

"No, you are getting your father and Serah out of here do you understand me?" she disagreed.

"Yes, but I can't leave you behind. If you get killed I-I don't know what I'll do," he told her with a slight catch in his voice. Lightning's hardened expression softened. Serah looked from one to the other and realization sparked. Lightning glanced at her sister and then turned away.

"Hurry up, PSICOM will be on their way," she warned. She gave Serah an apologetic smile and then took off down the hall. Hope watched her go worriedly but was determined to do as Lightning said. He gestured to his father and he stepped forward to lead them out. Hope kept Serah close to him as they ran. They hadn't once got caught so he knew PSICOM forces were all concentrated on Lightning. They successfully escaped from the building after what seemed like forever. Hope only looked back once at the silent structure that was seething with trouble inside.

"Come on Hope, we should get Serah out of here. Lightning wouldn't want her to get hurt," Bartholomew reminded his son. Hope nodded and the three lost themselves in a crowd of people, aiming to get back home and go on lockdown. Lightning had just taken down a group of PSICOM soldiers with the help of her old Lieutenant, Amodar, and three other men she had worked with at one point, Falcon, Torreno, and Baxter. Amodar was currently sporting big claws and teeth resembling that of a bear's; Falcon had wings, talons, and sharp eyesight like his namesake; Torreno had a tongue, fangs, and some scales down his arms along with slit pupils and strength like a snake; and Baxter had canine like teeth and a dog's sense of smell.

This is starting to get difficult," Torreno hissed.

"We need to hold them back until Corporal Thunder and Sergeant Blitz get back from hacking the mainframe," Baxter whined.

"Quiet you two, we only have to hold out a little longer," Amodar said.

"Halt!" a PSICOM soldier yelled down the hall. He was followed by others.

"Here we go again," Falcon groaned. Lightning growled and ran at the soldiers, her other team mates following obediently behind her. Halfway through the fight, they were joined by Thunder and Blitz. Blitz was a crocodile with brute strength and a penchant for snapping at anyone who crossed his path. His back and arms were covered in thick scales like armor. He came barreling in with bared teeth and yellow eyes flashing. Thunder shared the same characteristics as Lightning except he was a white tiger with more strength and killer hunting skills. His normally short black hair was streaked with white and his hands sported bigger claws. The team tore into the PSICOM soldiers and continued on down the corridor.

"We managed to patch into the system and got a hold of the files. We distributed them to the Academy since we know they will take our side. They've always been big on humanity," Blitz said.

"We also connected to the screens around town and any open computer and uploaded some of the videos to instant stream. By now, the public will be in a complete uproar and the Sanctum is going to have to quiet a riot," Thunder added. Amador smacked a fist into his open palm and then cheered. Baxter let out a barking laugh, Falcon leaped up with a punch to the air, and Torreno smirked.

"I know a place we can hide for a little bit until everything calms down," Lightning spoke up.

"And that would be?" Thunder remarked.

"You will see if we can get out of here alive," she replied. They fought through another wave of soldiers and then burst through the doors and outside. The crowd that had gathered all looked on in awe and fright.

"It caught on fast didn't it?" Falcon commented.

"Hurry," Lightning urged her team mates. They ran at the crowd who parted in a hurry. Those who didn't move in time were roughly shoved out of the way. Lightning led the group far from the Sanctum and into a quiet neighborhood far away.


	8. Chapter 8

The team was tired but Lightning instructed them to change into their animal forms to better hide from block to block. So it was with the faintest luck that no one saw a bear, snake, falcon, tiger, crocodile, dog, and cat cross the street to Hope's house. Hope had been on constant lookout out his window since getting home. Serah sat in his desk chair wringing her hands and saying nothing. He spotted the group of animals carefully crossing the street and practically burst in relief. A pink cat was among them. He darted from the room, startling Serah, and ran down the stairs.

"Dad, she made it back! Except she brought others with her," he said to his dad. Bartholomew had been hard at work installing cloaking devices in every room of the house. They sent out a wave of energy that not only messed with the Sanctum's technology but confused anyone deemed as a threat. It was a design based of the confounding howls of the worgens that roamed out in the dangerous mountains of the Mosphoran Highwaste on Pulse. Scratching at the door alerted the Estheims. Hope ran and carefully pulled the still damaged door open to welcome a mini zoo of animals. He stood back and let them in. Each of them carried what they could of their clothes excluding their shoes.

"I'll let you guys get dressed," he told them. Éclair followed him up the stairs dragging clothes in her mouth. She got dressed in the bathroom while Hope waited for her. Once she came out they returned to the living room.

"Hope thank you for housing them. They won't be staying any more than a day or maybe until morning. We plan on escaping to Gran Pulse where we are sure to fit in," she assured him.

"We? What do you mean? Are you going too Light?" he asked her. She averted her gaze for fear of falling for his saddened gaze.

"Yes, the Sanctum will not rest. They will hunt us here but they won't find us on Pulse," she told him. He suddenly pulled her into a hug and she froze. Over the boy's shoulder she could see her team mates look at her questionably but they didn't say anything. Bartholomew was currently off to another part of the house. She sighed and removed Hope from her.

"Let's continue our conversation up stairs," she suggested. He nodded and passed her.

"We only have so long to rest and then we have to get a move on," she stated, falling back into her stern attitude. They nodded and Lightning left. She found Hope sitting on his bed and Serah watching him in concern.

"Is it true Lightning? You're leaving?" she questioned her older sister.

"I wouldn't dream of leaving you behind Serah. How about you find Mr. Estheim and help him ok?" she replied. Serah smiled and nodded. She left and Lightning turned to a distraught Hope.

"You can't take me?" Hope questioned her plaintively.

"I can't uproot you from where you belong. You can easily relocate and hide where we can't," she argued. He stood angrily and shook his head.

"No, I'll talk to my dad and we can all go. I've heard of people making settlements on Gran Pulse before. We can do it too," he disagreed. She sighed.

"I want to be with you Light," he pleaded. He took her hands in his and waited for her to reply. After a long silence she finally did.

"My real name is Claire. You can start calling me that when we move to Pulse," she replied quietly. His face brightened and he pulled her into a hug. He pulled back to look into her blue eyes and then kissed her quickly. She stared at him in surprise but he only smiled and then let her go to relate the news to his dad. She recovered from her shock and held the bridge of her nose.

"I don't know what I just got myself into," she muttered.

"I have a pretty good idea," a voice said from the doorway. Lightning turned to see Amodar leaning on the doorframe.

"Sir?" she asked.

"That kid loves you. I don't know if it's because of some bond you shared when you were his cat or if he loves you for who you are or, heck, maybe both but he cares all right. I think he should tag along. I wouldn't mind and the team sure won't, seeing as he makes you act in a way no one has ever seen," he teased with a smile. Lightning frowned and crossed her arms.

"That's the thing. I'm unsure about how I should feel. I don't want him hurt," she replied.

"Well, at least he's out of danger and if you don't return his feelings, well at least you have a pretty dang loyal friend but by the looks of that collar you care. We've decided to head out at dawn. Get some rest Sergeant Farron," he said with a wink and a salute.

"Yes sir," she responded, returning the salute. Only after he left did she realize he fell into routine to make her feel better. He knew she could always think rationally when on a mission and he subconsciously planted the idea and feeling in her head. What would she do in this situation? She grumbled and left the room to head downstairs where Bartholomew was entertaining his guests with food and conversation. Serah and Hope helped Bartholomew. Lightning stepped into the kitchen and greeted everyone. They returned it with a greeting of their own.

"Hey Farron, sit down and have something to eat! Mr. Estheim is a genius cook!" Baxter said enthusiastically. Lightning knew it meant a lot coming from Baxter who loved to eat.

"Thank you Mr. Estheim," Lightning told the busy cook. He had just placed more food down on the table.

"No problem Lightning, just repaying the people who deserve it," he replied. After everyone was served, Bartholomew sat down too and joined the happy banter. Lightning made sure Serah was eating before retiring to the room. She made herself comfortable on Hope's bed and curled up. Not too long later Hope came in and curled around her.

"My dad agreed that we should all get out of here. The Sanctum is a threat better dealt with at a later time," he mumbled into her shoulder. She scooted out of his hold and sat up to face him.

"Hope, I'm going to sleep downstairs with the others tonight. They **are **the only other thing close to a family that I have and I feel like I should be by them," she told him. He sat up and nodded.

"I understand," he said. She slid to the end of the bed but he caught her hand. She turned back to look at him expectantly.

"I'll be ready. Good night Claire," he said softly. She smiled and he leaned in to kiss her cheek. He let her go and she stood.

"Good night Hope. Get a lot of sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us," she responded. He nodded and she left. Bartholomew had gone to bed not too long ago and the team was lounging around the living room. Thunder looked up when she entered and yawned hugely.

"Not cuddling with your human Farron?" he smirked, eyeing the accessory around her neck.

"Shut it **Corporal**. I want to be with my team," she replied, finding a spot on the floor between Falcon and Baxter. Baxter was on his side with his legs and arms out like a dog while Falcon sat up leaning on the bottom of the sofa. Thunder had taken the armchair while Torreno curled up next to Amodar on the couch. Blitz was on his belly in the middle of the floor and rested his head on his arms.

"I understand Farron," Baxter spoke up groggily next to her. He rolled over on his back and fixed her with sad brown eyes.

"The guy who was experimenting on me had a daughter who was training to take her father's place. She came in regularly. The first time she interacted with me I was a dog. I quickly grew to like her and didn't think of her as the bad guy's daughter. She was nice to me and that's all that mattered. Then when I was human I saw her for what she was. I knew I couldn't allow myself to like her but it was so hard. The instinct, as you know, is strong. Well, she took the ropes from her father sometimes and…" Baxter rolled back over with a heavy sigh.

"I forced myself to forget about her. She hurt me. She **was** the one who helped Falcon here bust me out but I think she was feeling guilty. I'm glad she saw how wrong it was but it would never have worked out. I can see you're going through the same confusing feelings but you have a chance I didn't have. Hope's a good person. He agreed to bust us all out, not to mention his old man helped. I say if the kid wants to come, let him. We could teach him to survive in Gran Pulse and you will be happy. You deserve it after what you and Serah went through," he said sincerely. Lightning smiled and thanked Baxter who had already drifted to sleep. The others fell asleep during his speech. Serah walked in from the kitchen with a glass of water.

"Ready to go to sleep sis?" Serah asked Lightning. She looked up and nodded. Serah squeezed herself between Falcon and Lightning after finishing her water and setting it on a nearby side table.

"Claire?" Serah questioned.

"Yeah?" Lightning replied.

"You like Hope don't you?" she said. Lightning sighed.

"I suppose in a way I do," she responded.

"Good, I like seeing you happy," Serah replied. Lightning glanced at her comfortable sister before adjusting and then closing her eyes.

"Good night Claire," she heard her sister say.

"Night Serah," she mumbled. Sleep came surprisingly fast and she fell into restoring darkness. The sun shone into the living room and directly in Lightning's face. She groaned and turned over to rest her head on Baxter's back to block out the sun. He snuffled and twitched but remained asleep. She had to admit she felt better but now her body was cramping from sleeping in such a small space. She sat up and looked around for Serah but she was gone. She jumped to her feet and padded quietly out of the room. She followed the muffled laughter to the kitchen where Bartholomew took out things to make breakfast while Hope and Serah talked at the table. Hope's eyes brightened at her arrival and he stood. Serah understood his eagerness and turned in her chair to look at her sister.

"Want to wake up the team for a quick breakfast?" Bartholomew asked her. She nodded and left to wake the others. They spent a great deal yawning and complaining but they perked up at the prospect of food.

"Men will always be men," Lightning said, following them back to the kitchen.

"Yeah, more food, I'm liking this guy!" Baxter exclaimed, grabbing a chair.

"Want the chair by your dearly beloved?" Torreno joked to Lightning. She growled and grabbed him in a headlock which he easily slipped out of. He was crafty when he wanted to be. Amodar guffawed and Falcon hid a smile behind his hand.

"So when are we heading out?" Blitz asked.

"After food," Baxter replied in a matter-of-fact way.

"Don't stuff yourself Baxter. We don't want you stumbling around clenching your stomach and whining that you ate too much again," Falcon warned pointedly.

"Yeah, cool it Baxter," Torreno added. Baxter whimpered but waited for the food. His dog instincts pushed his habit of eating to an annoying degree. Ever since the change, both Blitz and Torreno liked eating a lot and then nothing for a day. Falcon ate a little at odd times and Thunder ate whenever he had a chance but never complained when there was nothing. Amador ate only when he was hungry and had a habit of eating a lot when he knew he was in for a long test.

"Ok guys, here you go," Bartholomew announced. Hope, Serah, and Lightning helped him pass out the food and then ate a plate of their own. Hope leaned against the counter next to Lightning and Serah stood on Lightning's other side, using the counter like a table. Bartholomew stood by the table, eating and talking with the team.

"I think my dad really likes them. He hasn't really had friends since mom died," Hope spoke up suddenly. Lightning took her last bite and set her plate aside.

"He will have us now as will you. Serah can tell you what a great group of friends and family these guys can be," she responded, setting her hand on his shoulder. He smiled and looked at Serah who nodded with a laugh. After everyone had enough to eat, they left quietly and followed Bartholomew to the outskirts of town where a teleport would take them to Gran Pulse. Hope looked back at his home and frowned. He would miss those who he didn't have time to say goodbye to. Lightning held his hand reassuringly and he gave her a sad smile. She tugged his hand gently and he continued. The trip to the outskirts of town was easy but once they reached the gate, PSICOM patrolled the area beyond.

"Ah hell, now what?" Falcon asked.

"We make a path. There aren't too many for us to fight. We've done worse in Guardian Corps," Lightning said, subconsciously tightening her hold on Hope. Serah moved closer to Lightning.

"Hey look," Torreno pointed out. A PSICOM soldier spied a bird flying by and he raised his gun to shoot it down effortlessly. Falcon flinched uneasily.

"They're on the look-out for animals," Baxter gulped.

"Then let's give them animals," Amodar growled. His claws grew out and he bared his teeth.

"Amodar, guard Serah and the Estheims. Falcon, scout ahead in the skies and Torreno scout on the ground. Blitz and Baxter attack from the left. Farron, you're with me on the right. Let's go," Thunder commanded, already ready for the fight. Falcon and Torreno took off each in their own way. Baxter and Blitz headed left before jumping the fence and Thunder began stalking over to the right.

"Light, be careful," Hope told her. She nodded and followed Thunder. Amodar guided them back into some bushes and stood guard over them. A cry in the distance told them Baxter and Blitz were already fighting. Thunder and Lightning had just jumped the gate. Now, they slyly hid behind a crate. They swiftly dispatched two soldiers who had walked by. A third was about to sound an alarm when Thunder bounded over and silenced him.

"Lightning, over there," Torreno hissed from the shadows. She ran at the two soldiers with their backs to her. She pounced on them and brought them to the ground. Her claws lashed out and finished them.

"Watch out Blitz!" Falcon shouted from the skies. A soldier shot at Blitz from behind and he cringed but seemed unaffected. He hissed angrily and jumped at the soldier with his sharp pointy teeth bared. Baxter was running circles around another soldier and then tripped him when he least expected it. A solid punch to the face knocked him out.

"Lightning!" Thunder warned. Her ears picked up a click behind her and she spun around to face the barrel of a gun.


	9. Chapter 9

A screech from above startled the soldier who aimed at Lightning. Falcon dived and dug his talons into the enemy's shoulder. He screamed and fired without aim, narrowly hitting Falcon and Lightning. Thunder roared and tackled another soldier but another had already reached Lightning. He knocked her down and then took aim only for Torreno to jump him from behind a wrap his strong arms around him. He dropped his gun when two cracks echoed from his arms. Lightning jumped to her feet and ran at another soldier who took aim at Baxter. He was busy pummeling a soldier. She jumped at the soldier and sunk her teeth in his neck. She stood to see Blitz covered in blood and throwing a soldier to the floor like a sack of flour.

"Take this!" Falcon yelled, digging his talon into the fighting soldier's chest. He fell over and Falcon flew off.

"I think we won. Once Baxter is done with that one and Thunder has his fun chasing an unarmed soldier of course," Torreno remarked. Lightning scanned the area and nodded. A shot rang through the air and everyone jumped. Falcon screamed and fell to the ground. Thunder knocked out the hapless soldier he was chasing and ran over to help him up. His wing was damaged.

"Not, so, fast," a woman's voice called out. Lightning turned to level her icy blue eyes on Jihl Nabaat. She signaled and hidden soldiers jumped out from under cover. One rendered Torreno unconscious with a knock to the back of his head. Another two wrestled Thunder down and tied his claws behind his back. One lassoed Baxter around the neck and pulled him to the floor before another tied his hands and legs. Blitz managed to throw off two but a third jumped on his back followed by another and pushed him down so they could put a mask over his snapping jaws and tied him up. They bound Falcon's wings, mindless about his injury and tied his legs together. Lightning glared at Nabaat and growled.

"Your rag tag team is caught Farron. I suggest you surrender," Nabaat advised. She launched at Jihl but a well-aimed shot to her leg crippled her and sent her stumbling into a fall that blew up dust around her. She lied on her back and refused to let the pain bother her. Nabaat walked over and looked down at her.

"Restrict her," she commanded. A soldier moved towards her with a rope but she sprung up and clawed at his hand, unarming him of the rope. She lashed at his neck next and tore through. As he screamed she kicked him away with her good leg and then rolled away from another soldier. She popped back into a crouch and then leaped at another soldier, knocking off his helmet and then going for his eyes. She dodged the bullets that opened fire on her, all the while Nabaat grew angry.

"Nabaat!" Lightning screamed like a curse. She ran at the woman even though her leg throbbed and launched at her. Her claws were held out and itching to cut into her pretty little face when a giant force slammed into her. She was thrown violently aside and hit the ground with a jarring crack. She coughed up blood and struggled to stand. Her eyesight was temporarily out of focus. A big brawny man in a PSICOM uniform was scuffing his feet on the ground like he was ready to charge. The horn growing out of the helmet told her he was a test experiment just like her but he was a rhino. His legs were solid logs without discernible toes on his feet.

"This is Diesel. He is our best PSICOM soldier. Unlike you Guardian Corps nuisances, he listens to commands," Nabaat said proudly.

"That's because he doesn't have half a brain," Lightning spat. Diesel shot forward and knocked her through a pile of crates. She landed with a grunt and picked herself up again.

"Haven't you heard cats have nine lives?" she taunted, clearly unwilling to bow. Diesel ran at her again but this time she was ready. She cartwheeled off his shoulders and landed behind him. He skidded into a turn and came back at her surprisingly quick. He slammed into her once again, his horn stabbing shallowly into her side and tossing her aside. She hit the ground and didn't get up.

"What was that?" Nabaat said with a smirk.

"Lightning!" Baxter whimpered.

"Shut up mutt!" the soldier next to him yelled. He kicked Baxter in the side and he yelped. Blitz hissed and struggled with his bonds but couldn't get out. Falcon looked on with lost hope while trading glances with Thunder who noted that Torreno had not woken up and now lied on his side with his hands and legs tied.

"Let's go," Nabaat said. The remaining soldiers forced them to their feet and either dragged or led them away. A mighty roar made them all freeze. A giant black bear burst through the fence and quickly smacked two soldier clear across the face; knocking them out cold. He ran at the other soldiers and either mauled them or removed them from his way with ease. A bellow caught his attention when he had finished with the soldiers and was confronted with an angry rhino.

"Diesel, take him down a peg," Nabaat said. He dug his feet into the ground twice and then charged. Amodar roared and met him halfway. They fought nonstop, each trying to wound the other just as severely. Meanwhile, Hope, Serah, and Bartholomew snuck out to untie the others. Nabaat was distracted, watching Diesel tear into Amodar with a malicious grin. The three worked carefully but quickly. Soon, Blitz, Thunder, and Baxter were free. Bartholomew and Hope had to drag Falcon and Torreno over to the teleport and to safety. Falcon limped and helped the best he could so Hope had him but Torreno was still out so Bartholomew dragged him. Serah helped her sister to her feet but when Lightning tried to direct her away Serah refused.

"Go back with them Serah I'll be all right. As long as you two are safe that's all that matters," she wheezed out. Serah looked like she wanted to cry but nodded and left. Lightning watched them disappear and forced herself to stand straight. Blitz walked over and laid a dense, pointy, nailed hand on her shoulder. Her legs buckled and Thunder rushed to keep her up.

"You shouldn't be here Farron. That half-wit rhino messed you up good," he told her. She shook her head.

"Amodar, we have to save him," she muttered.

"Of course we will but you shouldn't have to make sure. Are you that doubtful of us?" Baxter asked.

"Yes look how well you handled being captured," she said with a small smile. Baxter scoffed and nudged her lightheartedly despite the situation.

"You rest here then and we'll take care of the witch," Blitz assured her. They set her against some crates and set off to save a rapidly losing Amodar. Where Diesel had a form of defense in his thick hide Amodar had close to nothing. Diesel had his lethal horn that penetrated skin easily but Amodar had a hard time cutting into his tough skin with his claws. Nabaat was about to order Diesel to end the show when Blitz locked his jaws on her shoulder. She screamed, catching Diesel's attention. Amodar swung out and knocked him aside. Thunder quickly threw off his clothes so he could transform into a white tiger rippling with muscle.

He raced over and pounced on Diesel, his great fangs going for the neck. Diesel tried to throw him off but his big claws only held on tighter. Blitz knocked Nabaat over and proceeded to tear into her without any resistance. She was nothing more than a chatterbox of orders and snide comments. She had no other place on the field. Baxter ran over and changed in mid run. He barked nonstop, irritating Diesel who was confused over catching Baxter and throwing off Thunder. He bellowed in fury and knocked Baxter aside with a toss of his head. Amodar had just returned fully clothes and back in his human form to see Baxter being thrown aside.

"Blitz, help Thunder we have to get Baxter out of harm's way," he called. Blitz gave him a thumbs up and then went to join Thunder in his crocodile form. Amodar collected the beagle in his arms and ran for the teleport only stopping to pick up Baxter's clothes on the way. A snap made him look back to see Blitz had missed a strike at Diesel's throat. Thunder roared at Diesel, momentarily distracting him so that Blitz's next lunge didn't miss. He struck right on target and yanked down. Thunder jumped forward to stop Blitz from going into the death roll and instead used his massive claws to tear into Diesel. Lightning limped over to Amodar who sighed in relief.

"Thought I lost you Farron," he told her honestly. She smirked and offered him her usual comeback.

"You can't get rid of me that easy," she stated. He laughed and nodded.

"Besides, you look like hell too," she observed.

"I know, let's get out of here," he replied. She nodded and stepped into the teleport with him. A flash of light and they stood in an outpost in between two rock formations. She knew they were in the Vallis Media. Someone hugged her and she looked down to see both Hope and Serah around her waist.

"Guys, I'm ok and you did well to," she said, holding back a flinch. Her body was radiating with pain. They backed off and she felt better.

"Amodar came up with a plan to get everyone out. We were told to rescue the injured and bring them here. I was afraid to leave you Light but I did as I was told," Hope said with a shy smile.

"Everyone is healing fine though," Serah added. They led her into the camp where Torreno was sitting on a cot with his head in bandages and Falcon sat next to him with his back patched up. Amodar sat down heavily on another cot and Serah rushed over to tend to him.

"Here pal, I saved these for you," Amador said, dropping clothes on Baxter's head. He shook it off and barked gratefully. Hope led Lightning over to another cot and gently guided her to sit down. Baxter bounded off behind a bush with the clothes and then returned in his human form.

"Man, I feel so thrashed," he complained, stretching against the many bruises covering his body.

"You can say that again," Amodar groaned as Serah patched him up. Hope began taking out the supplies and then turned to get Serah but Lightning stopped him.

"She's busy," was all she said. He looked at her but she didn't meet his eyes. Instead she raised her sweater and pointed at the small puncture marring her porcelain soft skin. He gulped but proceeded to clean it. He couldn't help but notice the scar from the knife and another that he did not know where it came from. She didn't move a muscle the whole time he worked. When he was done, he turned to cleaning out the minor cuts on her arms, legs, and face.

"Serah gave you a good run down didn't she?" Lightning finally spoke up. He paused to look at her and then continued working.

"Yeah, how does she know that much about first aid?" he asked.

"I used to come home really beat up when I first joined the Corps. It took me a good while to be the fighter I am today but I learned fast. Any other scrape I got was never as severe," she responded. Hope finished and looked at her in amazement. His hands were resting on the cot on either side of her hips. He seemed to be lost in her intense blue eyes when a sound made them both look around. Thunder and Blitz marched in with triumphant expressions.

"Diesel is effectively out of commission," Blitz said, giving Baxter a high five. Thunder nodded happily.

"Good going you two, now come receive first aid so we can all rest peacefully," Amodar said to them. They had a few scratches but mostly just bruises like Baxter. The shot Blitz took in the back never went deep and fell out on its own thanks to his scales.

"Hey Estheim, where's your dad?" Thunder questioned. Hope jumped and moved away from his close spot in front of Lightning.

"Um, he's off to find food. I told him it wouldn't be helpful until we got help but he wouldn't listen," he responded with some embarrassment.

"Huh, I always seem to underestimate Mr. Estheim," Torreno said.

"Well maybe you shouldn't," Bartholomew said from the entrance of the camp. He was toting a basket filled with edibles.

"What's in there?" Baxter asked, scenting the air.

"Something I'm going to make for tonight," Bartholomew answered.

"Where do you **really** learn all this?" Blitz questioned.

"Ok, you caught me. I used to watch a food channel with my wife Nora. I guess I still do once in a while. On my own time I got into survival shows or nature shows. If you put those together, well it comes in handy," he answered.

"So all those times you claim you're staying up for Blitzball and you're really watching a food channel?" Hope accused playfully.

"Sometimes," Bartholomew replied with a smile. They laughed.

"Ok then, while we wait for whatever you have cooked up, why don't we sit back and take a nap?" Amodar suggested. Bartholomew laughed and left to start a fire.

"You just want to go back to sleep lazy bear," Thunder teased.

"What about you, lazy cat?" Baxter said, joining in.

"That's Lightning," Blitz guffawed. Lightning punched his shoulder and shook her head.

"Maybe it's you and Torreno. The last I saw a snake and crocodile, they were always sleeping or just sitting there," Falcon said.

"I think all animals have their moments," Hope added. They stopped and looked at him then laughed.

"Way to put everyone at peace," Baxter said, playfully nudging Hope. Lightning watched him with a feeling of growing pride. Her family was finally back together with welcomed additions that fit right in.

"It's what I do," Hope said with a shrug.

"Hey Lightning, mind accompanying me on a quick run?" Bartholomew called. Hope gave her a look that she returned and told him to stay put. She walked over to Bartholomew and watched him feed the fire before he turned to her.

"I'm missing a few things from my ingredient lists. Unfortunately, they are alive and frankly I don't know how to fight," he said amiably.

"So you're asking me? Not that I don't want to Mr. Estheim, but you have an assortment of capable soldiers to help you," she told him. He nodded and gave her a searching look.

"Yes, but none like you. You're very special Lightning. I've heard what you've done to get here and I know you care for my son," he said, clasping his hands behind his back nonchalantly. She tried to say something but faltered and then averted her eyes. Bartholomew laughed.

"Let's get this show on the road shall we and talk on the way?" he proposed. She nodded and followed him out of camp. As they moved farther and farther away from the bright fire, darkness surrounded them from the setting sun. Her eyes easily cut through it all and her senses were on high alert.


	10. Chapter 10

Bartholomew threw Lightning a few glances and then looked away uncertainly before finally deciding to strike up a conversation with the quiet soldier accompanying him.

"Hope looks very happy to have you around. I never saw him so energetic since before Nora passed away," Bartholomew commented, carefully picking his way down the path. Lightning glanced at him and then returned to the path ahead.

"I promised him I would protect him. It isn't his fault, he was dragged into this. Not that I blame you sir," Lightning replied. He sighed.

"No, you're right. I was foolish to try and soil their plans on my own. I should have known they would target him," he said. Lightning froze and looked ahead. Bartholomew stopped and looked at her.

"Stay here, I see something," she warned him.

"If it's a flan or gorgonopsid bring it back," he said quietly. She glanced back at him questioningly but continued to creep forward.

"A flan," she whispered, the smell came to her on the wind and the misshapen body oozed over a rock. She crouched and then darted forward. She jumped in an arc and came down on the creature with her claws out. She sliced it into three gelatinous globs before it even knew she was there.

"Is this what you were looking for?" she said to Bartholomew. He jogged over and bent over close to see.

"Yep, here put some in the basket. There should be a container in there," he said. She scooped it up and put it in. They continued on their way.

"Mr. Estheim?" Lightning began.

"Please, call me Bartholomew," he responded.

"Right, Bartholomew, I have to admit the situation at hand is very much confusing to me. I do only want the best for Hope but know that I would never get between you and him. I also understand if his behavior makes you uncomfortable and I won't mind if you decide things between us should stop," she rushed to explain. He chuckled and held up a hand.

"I've never seen you stumble over words so far Sergeant Farron. I know you mean well but I will always support whatever choices Hope makes as long as they are for the good. I can see that you have been a blessing for him," he said with a smile. She returned it with a slightly embarrassed one of her own.

"Yes, of course," she responded.

"You're still unsure?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," she responded honestly.

"Why?" he asked.

"Not that I don't like Hope for who he is but, our ages are far apart and I worry over our lifestyles. I lead one full of danger and well, I can't always guarantee that I'll get out alive," she confessed.

"I can see, I can understand that but I'm not concerned over age because you make him happy and I know that Hope already knows danger will always follow you. I can guess that's why he tries so hard to be there for you," he explained.

"I suppose so," she said, returning her focused gaze to the plain stretching out in front of them. She remained pensive until she spotted something. She stopped him and pointed.

"You said you needed a gorgonopsid right?" she said. He nodded.

"I'll be right back," she told him.

"Try to get the meat in the thighs and shoulders," he advised. She nodded and ran out into the dark. He heard a light snarl and then a grating roar. Scuffling followed and then all was quiet. Lightning returned with the legs of the defeated monster. She stopped in front of him and held them out, panting heavily.

"I assumed you would want to remove the meat in a way I couldn't accomplish," she said.

"Yes, I didn't think of that," he said, holding open the basket. She put them in and he shut the lid. As she backed up, he caught a glimpse of her arm.

"Hmmm, Hope isn't going to like that," he pointed out. She glanced at the gash on her arm and then turned her body so it was hidden.

"I was caught," she said, making a small attempt at a joke. He chuckled.

"Yes, it seems so. Let's get back to camp so we can feed the starving patrons," he joked back. She nodded and followed him back.

"You don't want me to carry that for you?" Lightning offered.

"Nah, I may be getting old but I think I can do this. After all, you and your more than capable team have done more than enough. I would feel useless," he said with a grunt as he hoisted the basket higher. Despite his assurance, she was ready to take it if he grew tired. She never had to. They reached the camp and Bartholomew set the load down. Lighting walked over to the gazebo and sat on a cot. The others were gathered on the ground talking to each other all at once. The many voices soothed her earlier nerves. Bartholomew stopped his preparation once or twice to ask Lightning where supplies were kept but other than that she was left alone. No one noticed her return until Bartholomew called for their attention. The food was prepared and they all ran over to crowd the fire.

"When did you get back?" Hope questioned from behind her. She looked over her shoulder at him.

"A while ago, you seemed to be having fun so I relaxed here," she responded. He nodded and came around to take a seat next to her.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she questioned.

"Aren't you?" he shot back just as quickly. She smiled and nudged his shoulder with hers.

"Go eat, I'll be there," she assured him.

"Are you sure?" he asked. She took his hand and nodded.

"Ok, then don't take too long. I was told we were heading out in the morning to a village far from here," he told her.

"Then get something to eat before Baxter gets to it," she said, getting up to push him in the right direction. He caught her wrist and pulled her in to kiss her cheek and then let her go. He joined the group around the fire and his father handed him something to eat. She had been to this outpost many times in the past and knew the stream close by would provide them with the means to clean anything along with the waterfall for bathing if the need arose. By the looks of her team mates, they all needed to wash the dried blood splashed on their clothes and skin. However, she knew without a doubt that her team would rather eat now and bath later. She sighed and decided to join them. She chose a spot between Torreno and Blitz and was handed a plate of what looked to be a piece of meat drizzled with some type of sauce all on a plant that covered the bottom.

"The leaves come from a triffid when it sheds them for new ones. They aren't poisonous after disconnecting from the body but they give great flavor. The meat is gorgonopsid with cooked flan over. It's actually pretty good. The flavors go really well together," Blitz explained to her.

"Did Bartholomew tell you?" she questioned, cutting into the meat.

"Yeah, I also have to agree that he is one genius cook. I'm pretty sure he added some kind of spices but he told me the details weren't need to know," he said with a smile. Lightning glanced at said cook sitting next to his son. Serah sat next to them with Amodar on her other side. Lightning smiled at the warm surroundings and began to eat. Blitz was right of course. After they were done they milled around a little more before the men wandered off to wash followed after by Lightning and Serah. When everyone was comfortable they got ready to settle down. Hope spotted the new injury on Lightning's arm and quickly patched her up. She let him without complaint, knowing he wouldn't take no for an answer. When everyone was worn out they each tried to think of a place to sleep. There were only four cots and ten of them.

"Maybe we could group up?" Baxter offered good-naturedly. Thunder raised an eyebrow at him dubiously.

"No, that's perfect. We have our animal forms if it makes it easier. The few without fur might need it to keep warm. It gets pretty cold out here and we can all attest to these blankets doing nothing to really help," Amodar said.

"That's right. Our body temperature shot up since the change. I mean, except for the reptiles. Theirs fell," Thunder agreed.

"I'll make sure to cuddle in your extensive fur then Thunder," Torreno teased. Thunder only frowned.

"Now, now, you two I'm sure we can figure this out. We still have three people who will have to keep warm too," Blitz pointed out.

"How about we all change and decide who to group up with whom ok?" Falcon said. They nodded and began pulling off their clothes. Lightning crossed her arms and looked away while Serah hastily turned around. Hope stifled a laugh under his hand at Lightning's modest attempt to give them privacy. He knew she must have seen them before since she worked with them for so long. She was the only girl among their ranks but he could bet she felt right at home with them. However, he could also bet that none of them had seen her. He knew this for sure with the way she acted towards him. Privacy was a policy for her. Blinding light flashed through the darkness and the team was replaced by animals.

"Now let's see," Lightning said, looking back at them and placing a hand on her chin. As she arranged them, Hope took the chance to examine them in their animal forms. Amodar was a black bear with a brown muzzle and small kind brown eyes. Blitz was a big hulking greyish green crocodile whose yellow eyes didn't seem as lifeless as the ones Hope saw on the TV. Baxter was a medium sized beagle with a white stomach and splattered with brown and black on his head and down his back. The tip of his tail was white and was in constant motion. Torreno was a leaf green python with a spikey nose at the tip of his head. He moved far more than any snake Hope had seen in his life. Thunder was a mighty white tiger with a stare that showed his intelligence and focus. Falcon was by far the smallest of the group but he was the quickest. He zoomed through the area and perched at the head of a cot with sure skill. He had a white underbelly with black running down his head, over his wings, and down to his tail feathers. Little black specks crossed over his chest. His eyes seemed to see anything and everything. He sometimes stayed motionless for a long time.

"There, I think that should do it," Lightning said, breaking him out of his study. Blitz had chosen to stretch out by a cot shared by Baxter and Torreno. Amodar sprawled out on his belly with his feet and forearms tucked in by a rock that Serah occupied. Falcon flew over to rest on Amodar's back. He grunted deeply but allowed him. Thunder lied down in the middle of the gazebo and took the first look out shift for the night. Lightning knew it was habit to do so but she saw no loss in being prepared. Lightning turned to Hope and pointed to the last two cots.

"You will be sleeping here by your father," she told him. Bartholomew was busy taking off his shoes and then laying down. Hope looked at him and then gave Lightning a pointed look. She sighed and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be right there with Serah if you need me ok?" she told him. He nodded and turned to lay on the cot provided for him.

"Good night," he said.

"Good night," she replied. She walked over and scooted Serah over gently. She had the side by Amador because Lightning wanted her to be comfortably warm. She lied down facing Hope who looked at her longingly across the gazebo. She closed her eyes and concentrated on sleep. The various snores around her made her feel at home again and she easily drifted off. About halfway through the night, she began to feel stuffy and hot. She grumbled and tried to sit up but she couldn't move. She opened her eyes and saw Hope clutching her in his sleep. He had moved his cot over to hers. Serah pressed her back against Lightning's. Crowded by two people and Amodar's hulking mass nearby, Lightning was beginning to feel claustrophobic.

She carefully untangled herself from Hope's grip and managed to move onto her back. She glanced around and saw that everyone was asleep including Thunder. She smirked, planning to chew him out in the morning just to fluster him. She looked back down at Hope and sighed. She was considering changing into her cat form but instead, shifted out from between the small space and stood. She glanced around her once and then walked over to stand by the dying fire. She watched it smolder for some time, losing herself in thought. Hope woke up and almost immediately noticed Lightning was gone. He sat up and scanned the gazebo but he couldn't find her. He stood and checked again and saw her standing by the fire, looking at it with an intense stare. When he walked over she heard him and looked over her shoulder.

"Hey," he greeted quietly.

"Something bothering you?" she questioned. He shook his head.

"No, just wanted to see where you snuck off to," he replied. She watched him a little longer and then returned to looking at the fire.

"I didn't sneak. It isn't my fault you guys sleep like a log," she replied, finally giving him a slight smile.

"I guess so," he said with a shrug. She felt his rising apprehension and sighed in exasperation.

"There's something bothering you. I can tell. I'm not your cat for nothing," she told him. He looked up from the ground in surprise. His eyes landed on the bell still around her neck. It was frayed somewhat but it was still there. He reached out and touched the bell. It rang clearly.

"How are you so quiet?" he asked randomly. It was a thought that was reoccurring in his mind.

"I guess it just comes with being a cat. That or you're going deaf," she joked, nudging his shoulder. He chuckled and nodded. She realized it seemed to get easier to loosen up with Hope around.

"I think that's it," he responded, nodding. They fell into comfortable silence for a while and then Hope sat on a wide flat rock nearby. Lightning looked down at him and then joined him. She leaned against his side slightly and his hand found hers. Their fingers intertwined and he sighed.

"I wanted to tell you something for a while now but I guess I'm just a little scared," he began, his hand squeezing hers.

"A little?" she questioned with a smirk.

"Ok, a lot," he amended.

"You can tell me anything Hope," she assured. He watched the last of the fire fade and then looked back at her. She was looking at the glowing embers still, her blue eyes glowing in the dark. He reached out and held her chin gently, turning her head so she faced him. She watched him carefully but didn't move away.

"Can I kiss you Claire?" he questioned leaning closer but stopping so their noses touched. She smiled slightly and then nodded. He grinned deviously and quickly licked her lips. She looked surprised at first but then her playful hunter's smile slid on her face. She tackled him off the rock and into the dirt on his back. He laughed good naturedly at the sudden return of her cat like playfulness.

"You're unique, you know that?" she asked, leaning over him. He gave her a puzzled expression.

"You accepted a stranger in your house even after realizing that person was really your cat. I know I've pushed you away because of my insecurities at first but I know now I can trust you with anything. Even my affections," she mumbled the last part.

"So, are you trying to tell me what **I'm** trying to tell **you**?" he guessed.

"I'm doing a better job than you," she responded. He chuckled and nodded.

"I know," he relented. She smiled and then leaned in to brush her nose under his chin. He lifted his head and sighed.

"Can I give you a better kiss?" he questioned her. She backed away and looked into his lively green eyes. Then she leaned in and kissed him. It was a chaste kiss that didn't last long but they both felt it was enough. They broke apart and Lightning got up. She brushed the dirt from her clothes and then offered him a hand up which he took, turning it into a way to pull her flush against him. His hands rested on her waist and hers pressed against his chest.

"I love you Claire," he whispered to her softly. He raised a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear and then rested it on her cheek, barely brushing under her ear. She leaned into his touch and smiled in a way he hadn't seen before.

"I love you too," she responded in almost a whisper.

"You know, I always expected you to purr in human form," he admitted.

"I can, I just never found the need to," she replied truthfully, a small blush coloring her skin. He chuckled and kissed her once more before letting his hands fall and taking her hand instead.

"Let's go get some sleep. I'm tired and we still have a journey ahead of us," he told her. She nodded and allowed him to lead her by the hand back to the cot.

Hope pulled Lightning close to him and wrapped his arms around her. She allowed him to, wanting to feel his arms around her. She went to sleep peacefully, knowing things would be a lot better than in the past. Having Hope opened her eyes to a new meaning in her life and she hoped Serah found the same happiness. Hope fell into an equally peaceful sleep. His last thought was one that occurred once in a while since he first found out his cat was really a person. He wondered how he ended up where he was, but every time he concluded with the only thing that mattered. He had the family he always wanted and he couldn't be any happier.

* * *

**How sad, I finally finished both my FFXIII stories...now what to do? Anyways, hope everyone liked it!**


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